Hearse found with 675 kg of chemicals needed to make methamphetamines

A hearse loaded with 675 kilograms of drug raw materials for drug manufacturing was intercepted in May on the A77 highway near Beugen, Noord-Brabant, according to the Brabants Dagblad on Tuesday. The two occupants of the car are from Rotterdam. On Tuesday, the court in Den Bosch decided that the 38-year-old driver would remain in pre-trial detention while the 50-year-old passenger was allowed to remain free for the time being.

Omroep Brabant reported on Tuesday that the police already became suspicious of the funeral vehicle on the A15 highway between Rotterdam and Nijmegen because of its unusually low position on the road. They followed the hearse for several kilometers on the A77 before halting it at a gas station in Beugen, where they discovered 675 kilograms of BMK loaded in boxes. BMK is also known as benzyl methyl ketone or Phenylacetone. This substance is a key precursor to produce amphetamines and is regulated by the European Union and European Council.

The hearse was associated with a funeral home in Hoogvliet owned by the driver. He claimed he did not know the substances were inside boxes. Following the arrest, a search was conducted at the driver's business location in Hoogvliet, near Rotterdam. Police found a drug lab and half a kilogram of cocaine.

During the hearing in Den Bosch on Tuesday, the driver's attorney pointed out the absence of DNA evidence inside the boxes containing the chemicals, the Brabants Dagblad reported. She argued that such evidence could determine whether her client was aware of what was in the boxes and requested the suspension of his pre-trial detention.

The Public Prosecution Service (OM) pointed out the driver's initial reluctance and fear to answer to the police when asked to explain the presence of the chemicals. Surveillance footage also linked him to the discovered drug lab, showing the man had been inside. "There's no evidence suggesting it belongs to someone else," the OM said regarding the chemicals in the hearse.

The court in Den Bosch rejected the defense's plea for suspension of his pre-trial detention, citing concerns about the risk of recidivism. "You were apprehended while transporting hundreds of kilos of BMK, which cannot be linked to funeral services,” the court said, adding that even if the suspect committed these drug offenses under pressure, the potential for recidivism cannot be ruled out.

The trial is set to resume in November.