Dutch navy in the Caribbean seize over 4,500 kilos of drugs in one week

The Dutch naval ship Zr. Ms. Groningen seized a massive 4,500 kilograms of drugs in three busts in the Caribbean this past week. The ship has made nine busts since taking over from Zr. Ms. Friesland and seized over 9,000 kilograms of contraband, the Ministry of Defense said.

During the early hours of August 10, the Groningen dispatched fast interceptor boats to stop a suspicious vessel. They arrested five suspects and fished 550 kilograms of drugs - 450 kg cocaine and 100 kg marijuana - out of the water where the suspects dumped them when they saw the authorities approach.

At around the same time, the Dutch navy spotted two suspicious go-fasts. “When the suspects realized that the Groningen was approaching them, they dumped their goods in one of the boats and took off in the other.” Once again, the fast interceptor boats gave chase. They shut down the fleeing go-fast’s outboard motor and arrested eight suspects. 2,300 kilograms of cocaine were found in the other boat.

Two days earlier, on Monday, August 8, Zr. Ms. Groningen seized 1,640 kilograms of marijuana after intercepting another go-fast. Here too, the suspects threw the packages of drugs overboard when they realized they were being chased. Eight suspects were arrested.

The navy handed all arrested suspects over to the authorities on Bonaire.

In the Netherlands, too, authorities made a major drug bust this week. Customs at the port of Rotterdam found 300 kilograms of cocaine hidden in a container of fishmeal from Chile. The container was destined for a company in Amersfoort. The Public Prosecution Service does not believe the Dutch company was involved in the drug trafficking.