Zuid-Holland horticulturist linked to gang-land assassinations

One of three suspects arrested for the assassination of Reduan Bakali, the brother of a key witness in the investigations into gang related assassinations in Amsterdam and Utrecht, is the director of a tropical plant nursery in the Zuid-Holland village of De Lier, newspaper AD reports.

Both the police and people who know the 31-year-old horticulturist are surprised by his suspected involvement in these gang-land murders, according to the newspaper. DNA traces in one of the firearms found in the investigation into Bakkali's murder led to the man's arrest.

"Something went wrong somewhere", one of the man's upset relatives said to AD. "DNA traces can float around through a handshake."

According to the horticulturist's family, he helped out when a car crashed into a ditch near his business two weeks ago. The man helped a passenger out of the car while the driver of the car ran away. The police were called and they found and arrested the driver, who resisted arrest quite vehemently, the family member said to the newspaper. Why the driver of the car fled after the accident is unknown. The horticulturist received a bunch of flowers to thank him for his help.

The 31-year-old man from De Lier and a man from Rijswijk were arrested on Saturday. Traces of both their DNA were found on weapons confiscated during the arrest of Shurandy S. on Friday. S. is suspected of being the gunman in Bakkali's murder. The weapons were found in his getaway car.