Five arrested in major investigation into firearms and drugs; 20 automatic weapons found

The police arrested five men this month after a months-long weapons trafficking investigation. The police found 39 firearms, including about 20 automatic weapons, bags full of ammunition and more than a hundred jerry cans with liquids intended for the illegal production of drugs.

Several police tactical teams raided a business park in Ridderkerk and homes in Rotterdam, Zwijndrecht and Vlaardingen on Tuesday. Two garages in Ridderkerk and a house in Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht were also searched.

Police said 36 of the 39 weapons discovered in the raids were found in the two garages spaces. "We rarely see so many weapons in one investigation. Certainly not with weapons of this caliber. The quantity and type of weapons confirm the suspicion of large-scale firearms trafficking by the suspects," said Brigit Nolden, the head of the Regional Investigation Service.

The five men arrested include a 32-year-old man from Zwijndrecht, a 57-year-old man from Vlaardingen, a 62-year-old man from Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht and two men from Rotterdam aged 36 and 61. They were expected to be brought before an examining magistrate on Friday.

The investigation lasted more than half a year and started after a tip about the firearms trade. The police later found out that the same suspects were also involved in drug production and trafficking. Even after the raids and arrests, the investigation will continue.

Over a hundred devices containing data were seized, including laptops and telephones, Nolden said. "We have also seized five cars. They will be examined for hidden spaces, among other things."