Criminal organizations have approached 15 percent of Dutch farmers to offer them money in exchange for free-standing sheds or stalls so that a drug lab can be built there, Trouw reports based on a poll conducted by Geleen Consultancy.
The number of farmers approached by criminals in this way may well be higher, as some may be afraid to admit this. The police believe the number may be as high as 3 out of 5 farmers, according to the newspaper.
A 37-year-old police officer from the Zeeland-West-Brabant corps was arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of leaking confidential information to a third party, the Public Prosecutor announced on Thursday. He is also suspected of possession and dealing of narcotics.
A 43-year-old man from Zierikzee was also arrested in the same investigation. He is suspected of trading in hard drugs. Three addresses were searched, though the prosecutor did not say if anything of consequence was found.
