n Dubai, the Netherlands and Belgium, multiple suspects have been arrested for involvement in a violent conflict after the theft of 1400 kilos of cocaine in late August in the port of Antwerp. It concerns at least two Dutch people who were arrested in our country, and multiple Dutch suspects in Dubai. This is reported by Het Parool.

The theft of 1400 kilos of coke led to a series of violent incidents , including shootings, explosions at buildings, hostage-taking and assaults, in the Netherlands, Belgium and Dubai. The rip-off came to light because parts of the stolen batch came onto the market in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

The shipment was in a container on a truck that was cornered in the border region on August 29 by criminals disguised as police officers. According to insiders, the cargo belonged to two groups of notorious criminals in the Netherlands who operate from Dubai, plus Serbs, Albanians and Brazilians. One of the investors in the transport is said to be the family of Ridouan Taghi.

Vincenzo Musacchio: The ''mocro mafia'' is expanding in Europe
AMDuemila October 25, 2024
The criminologist's analysis on RaiNews.it on the crime that is conquering Northern Germany

“ In recent days, a debate has been reopened in the Netherlands on the dangerousness of the so-called 'mocro mafia', also prompted by the ongoing trial in which the defendants are leading figures in the criminal organization. Among the defendants is the undisputed mafia boss, Ridouan Taghi , forty-three years old, Dutch of Moroccan origin, arrested in Dubai in 2019 and now detained in the special prison of Nieuw Vosseveld in Vught. The defendants are accused of multiple crimes related to drug trafficking committed in Rotterdam, in the Netherlands, and Antwerp, in Belgium. All port sites where the hub for cargo arriving from South America and Africa takes place ”. The speaker is Professor Vincenzo Musacchio , criminologist and teacher of strategies for fighting transnational crime, in response to questions from RaiNews.it on the expansion of mafias in Europe. “ As far as Germany is concerned, the focus is undoubtedly on the Hamburg port district, another strategic crossroads for drug trafficking and trade in the European Union ,” he told journalist Pierluigi Mele .
“Mocro mafia” is a term coined by the Dutch media, he explained, and “ refers to several criminal gangs that have been active for decades, mainly in the Netherlands and Belgium .” “ The word ‘mocro’ comes from a Dutch term for people of Moroccan origin ,” he added . “However, native Dutch and other nationalities, including non-African ones, are also active in the criminal organization. This is one of the reasons why the term is misleading. There is also criticism that the term mafia could attribute to this organization a greater potential than it actually has. Analyzing the facts and especially the recent developments of this criminal organization, we realize instead that defining it as a mafia is not at all inappropriate .” The mocro-mafia rose to international prominence in 2021, when Dutch journalist Peter de Vries was killed in broad daylight in Amsterdam. This murder “ in addition to the link with the trial against Ridouan Taghi , is also connected to the blow inflicted on the mocro-mafia from an economic point of view ”. Now, Musacchio explained, the mocro-mafia is changing strategy, adopting a network structure and collaborating with other international mafias, including those that traffic “

German police use fake traffic lights for arrest | Satudarah leader also temporarily detained

In a spectacular police operation at the border by the German police, an unknown German suspect was arrested on Wednesday evening. Michel B., the 59-year-old co-founder of motorcycle club Satudarah, was also arrested during the operation. He was released a few hours later. This is reported by the newspaper Tubantia.

The lawyer of the two men, Karin Blonk, confirmed the arrests to the newspaper. Her clients were arrested on Wednesday around 17:30 after a remarkable police action. Two temporary traffic lights were set up in front of a German restaurant on the border between the Netherlands and Germany, on the so-called Knalhutteweg. Tubantia: 'When the police target approached the location, the traffic lights turned red. His vehicle stopped, after which the police immediately took aim at him and arrested him.'

The two detainees were blindfolded and held at gunpoint for twenty minutes on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant. They were then taken away in a police bus in the direction of the town of Ahaus, just across the border with Enschede. The traffic lights were then removed again.

Commando
According to the newspaper's sources, the arrest was made by a so-called Spezialeinsatzkommando, or SEK. This is a heavily armed arrest team comparable to the Dutch Special Intervention Service (DSI).

The identity of the detainee is unknown, and the facts for which he was arrested are also still unclear. The German police could not yet make any statements to Tubantia on Wednesday evening, and lawyer Blonk was not yet aware of a suspicion.

The briefly detained Michel B. and several co-suspects from the same city are suspected of smuggling thousands of kilos of cocaine from Brazil.

Early February of this year, the police arrested a large number of suspects in an investigation focused on arms and drug trafficking. Among them were people from the notorious R. family from Oss and also members of Satudarah.

https://www.crimesite.nl/duitse-pol...satudarah-kopstuk-tijdelijk-aangehouden/

Jaouad F., a cousin of Ridouan Taghi, is a suspect in a major drug case in which the judiciary demanded prison sentences of up to eight years last week. F. has not yet been tried, however, because he is serving a six-year prison sentence in Morocco for participation in a criminal drug organization.

'He has the most important external contacts and makes decisions about major international drug shipments'

https://www.crimesite.nl/veroordeelde-jaouad-f-neef-taghi-verdachte-in-grote-cocainezaak/

Thursday, 5 December 2024 - 12:50

Dubai arrests two Dutch alleged drug traffickers, including Ridouan Taghi’s son

The police in Dubai have arrested two Dutch wanted for drug trafficking in two, separate arrests. One is Ridouan Taghi’s son, the other is a man wanted for drug trafficking in Belgium.

Sources in the judiciary told the Telegraaf on Thursday that Taghi’s son Adil was arrested in Dubai last week and is now being detained in an unknown location in the United Arab Emirates.

A spokesperson for the Public Prosecution Service (OM) could not confirm the arrest to the newspaper but did say that if Adil was arrested, it was not at the Netherlands’ request. That could mean his arrest came at the request of another country or as a result of an investigation in the UAE. Lawyers who represent several Dutch people in the UAE told the newspaper that Taghi’s son is accused of money laundering and participation in a criminal organization.

Another of Taghi’s sons, Faisal, was arrested in Dubai at the Netherlands’ request last year. He is suspected of drug trafficking, money laundering, and preparing for violent crimes. The Dutch authorities consider Faissal a key figure in his father’s criminal organization. He has been extradited to the Netherlands and is currently detained in the high-security prison in Vught, where his father is also imprisoned. The two aren’t allowed contact.

Separately, the Dubai police also arrested Stefan Papic, a 28-year-old Bosnian-Dutchman wanted for involvement in the Kriva Rochem case revolving around large-scale cocaine trafficking in Belgium, PZC reported.

Papic was arrested along with the Belgian drug baron Othman El Ballouti (36) in Dubai, according to the newspaper. The Bosnian-Dutchman is known as the right-hand man of Flor Bressers (37), the main suspect in the Kriva Rochem case.

The Belgian authorities have been hunting for Papic for years for his involvement in trafficking cocaine from Brazil to Belgium via an Antwerp water purification company.

Papic is also linked to a money laundering operation that ran via an art gallery connected to his family. According to PZC, this investigation is part of a larger probe into a Balkan cartel with ties to several big names in the criminal world, including Ridouan Taghi and Raffaele Imperiale.

The Belgian prosecutor has requested Papic’s extradition to stand trial in the Kriva Rochem case along with Flor and several other co-defendants. It is unclear when this will happen.

https://nltimes.nl/2024/12/05/dubai...traffickers-including-ridouan-taghis-son

One dead, more feared missing after The Hague flat explosions
24 minutes ago

Jake Lapham
BBC News

At least one person has died, and more are feared missing, after two explosions rocked a block of flats in The Hague, authorities have said.

Firefighters rushed to the three-storey building following the blasts that caused the collapse of several homes in the Tarwekamp area at around 06:15 (05:15 GMT) on Saturday.

The city's mayor, Jan van Zanen, said it was not known how many people were still missing.

The cause of the explosions is not yet clear, but Dutch police said a car drove away "at very high speed" shortly after, and have appealed for witnesses.

Jan van Zanen said the chance of survivors being pulled from the rubble was slim, and urged the community to prepare for a "worst case scenario".

It was earlier thought up to 20 people may have been in the flats at the time of the blast, but the mayor refused to speculate on this.

While authorities said earlier that four people were injured, the mayor revised that number down to three.

Dutch media reported five flats were destroyed in the explosion.

Rescue teams with sniffer dogs have been deployed to sift through the debris, but parts of the site remain too dangerous to access.

A large excavator has been brought in to remove debris.

Fourteen-year-old Adam Muller told the AFP news agency the explosion "felt like an earthquake".

"I was asleep and suddenly there was this huge bang," he said.

"I looked out of the window and just saw flames. It's a massive shock," he added.

National police commissioner in the Netherlands Janny Knol said there was "disbelief and uncertainty" in the community.

Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima said in a statement: "We sympathise with all those who have been personally affected or who fear for the fate of their loved ones."


Police: Suspicious car raced off shortly after The Hague apartment explosion
A car was seen racing away at a very high rate of speed shortly after an explosion destroyed five apartments at a residential complex in The Hague. The explosion occurred at an apartment building on Tarwekamp, and at least four people were injured and up to 20 were missing after the incident on Saturday morning.

"Shortly after the explosion, around 6:15 a.m., a car was seen speeding away at a very high speed," police stated in an update. Authorities appealed to the public for information that may help identify the vehicle and its driver. "The police would like to get in touch with people who saw this car driving or who may have camera footage.

The announcement was the first indication that investigators have not ruled out the possibility of foul play. The investigation into the explosion is ongoing, but police have highlighted the significance of the vehicle seen fleeing the area. Authorities were urging witnesses and those with camera footage to come forward.

"If you saw or heard anything or have surveillance footage from the area, please upload it using the online tip form," the police added. Witnesses can also contact law enforcement by calling 0800-6070 or, for anonymous tips, dialing 0800-7000. "The police are specifically looking for witnesses who may have seen a car driving at very high speed around 6:15 a.m. near the site of the explosion," officials added.

The explosion caused significant damage to the building. A large fire broke out, leading to the collapse of several apartments. Emergency services, including firefighters, police, paramedics, and specialized search and rescue teams, responded immediately to the scene.

Three adults and one child were transported to area hospitals, while others may still be trapped in the rubble. Rescue teams were working to locate survivors and extinguish the blaze. Technical response specialist team STH and a team from Urban Search and Rescue Nederland arrived at the site with plans to begin their operations once conditions allow.

Police, firefighters, medical personnel, and politicians have been especially concerned with the rising trend of explosives used in business conflicts and the criminal underworld. These sometimes involve explosive fireworks and other incendiary devices, and can be combined with shrapnel and flammable material to intensify the impact.

While explosions are often staged as a form of retribution, they can also be used as part of an extortion plot. The victim in such a plot can find themself forced to vacate their home or shutter their business by order of a local mayor more concerned with public safety than whether the victim has any links to criminality.

Through mid-October, police registered 768 explosions likely due to an attempt to intimidate or harass an individual or rival. During the same period in 2023, police knew of 497 such explosions. A total of 1,017 explosions occurred in the Netherlands over the course of 2023.

Nearly three-fourths taking place in the Randstad region, comprised of the area surrounding Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, and Utrecht. In 2021, there were 212 such explosions in all of the Netherlands.

The first person killed in such an explosion happened earlier this year, when a 23-year-old Amsterdam man tried to trigger a blast in The Hague in January. A police report on the explosions distributed in November warned that more fatalities due to explosions were likely.

Five dead now, police tend to believe it's an bomb attack, but illegal fireworks storage or drug lab may have caused it.

Prime Minister Dick Schoof was impressed by the stories of residents of the Mariahoeve district of The Hague after discussions with residents of their Saturday morning's explosions and fire. "What a terrible disaster has taken place here in The Hague, it defies description," he said after a meeting with residents in the community centre.

The story of a woman who tried to help after the explosions at the Tarwekamp made a particular impression on the Prime Minister. "It was a woman who had experienced it up close and had also run inside. She was pushed back by the fire and could not help - that really affects you."

He said he hoped that people who are still uncertain about the fate of their loved ones will soon get clarity. "That this will create peace and certainty, whether in misery or in joy."

There are indications of a crime in the explosion. This was stated by Minister of Justice and Security David van Weel this afternoon at a press moment in the Mariahoeve district of The Hague, where the Tarwekamp is located. He could not say exactly what these indications are.

"We know that the police are investigating, also into the scenario of a crime. The local triangle of mayor, police and Public Prosecution Service are fully engaged in this. They will tell us more about this when they know more about it."

It would be a new low in the ongoing drug feuds. Authorities in The Hague said that a suspicious car was found set on fire close to the location.


"A burnt-out car was found near the explosion, the connection is being further investigated. It is not yet known what the cause is, but there are indications that it is a crime," said Margreet Fröberg from the district office of the Public Prosecution Service. Police previously said that a car was seen leaving the area at a high rate of speed moments after the explosion.

"We know from images that a car drove away shortly after the explosion. We don't know who the driver is, or what kind of car it is. We would like to find out," said Karin Krukkert, the district police chief. A description of the car seen racing off from the area was not released, nor was a description of the torched vehicle authorities discovered.

Four of the five deceased victims of the explosions at the Tarwekamp have been identified. According to the police, they are a 31-year-old man from Voorburg, a 45-year-old man and two women aged 17 and 41 from The Hague. As of Sunday evening, there is still no clarity about the number of missing persons.

Man dies from gunshot wound in Amsterdam

Source: RD | Domestic RD | Domestic December 9, 2024, 03:08
Amsterdam - The police found a man with a suspected gunshot wound on Pontanusstraat in Amsterdam-Oost on Sunday around 22:30. Attempts were made to resuscitate him, but to no avail. He died on the spot, a police spokesperson reported.

Four men now in custody for involvement in the bloody bomb attack.


Ridouan Taghi has received compensation of several hundred euros, because he was wrongly imposed additional restrictions, after the arrest of his cousin and lawyer Youssef T. This was reported by AD.nl based on reports from the ANP. His legal costs for this were also reimbursed.

The Public Prosecution Service (OM) already decided to award the compensation last June, according to documents obtained by ANP. The National Public Prosecution Service confirms the award. It concerns compensation of 420 euros plus interest, and compensation for lawyers' fees of 2000 euros.

Because Taghi himself had not been arrested in the case of his lawyer cousin, no restrictions should have been imposed on him. The lawyer was arrested on October 8, 2021, while he was visiting Taghi in the Extra Secure Institution (EBI) in Vught. He was later sentenced to 5.5 years in prison for passing on information from the EBI.

December 16, 2024
Brother of Janus van Wesenbeeck before court on suspicion of large-scale cocaine trafficking
The 60-year-old brother of Dutch drug baron Janus van Wesenbeeck will appear in court in Den Bosch on Monday on suspicion of large-scale cocaine trafficking and money laundering. The men are said to have imported cocaine from South America and had it delivered to a scrap yard in the Netherlands. The case came to light after hacked EncroChat messages.

Eindhoven resident Jacobus Martinus “Tinus” van Wesenbeeck was arrested on December 5, 2023, together with a now 36-year-old co-suspect on suspicion of large-scale cocaine trafficking. The investigation into the two suspects was started after the police suspected this based on – among other things – messages in the encrypted messaging server EncroChat.

Underground banking
The police reported a year ago that the purchase of cocaine might have been done via underground banking. After the arrests, the police searched several buildings, including the suspects' homes and several garages. During the searches, digital data carriers and vehicles were seized, among other things.

According to the judiciary, the importing of cocaine is said to have taken place between November 2019 and December 2023. Van Wesenbeeck is also suspected of habitual money laundering.

Jacobus Martinus “Tinus” van Wesenbeeck has been in custody for over a year now. He will appear in court today during a pro forma hearing in Den Bosch.

Castle murder
Tinus van Wesenbeeck was for some time a suspect in the case of the notorious Belgian castle murder . The Flemish castle lord Stijn Saelens was found dead in a forest in 2012, in the Flemish municipality of Sint-Maria-Aalter. In the end, Tinus was not prosecuted in this case. Other suspects were convicted.

Janus
Tinus van Wesenbeeck is the younger brother of Eindhoven drug baron Janus. In 2011, the Belgian justice department named the latter the leader of the largest drug cartel in the Benelux. The successful television series Undercover was based on his person and experiences.

In the book Drugsbaron, Janus' brother Tinus is also mentioned several times. He was seen more as the man who stood in the shadow of his older brother.

https://www.crimesite.nl/broer-van-...denking-van-grootschalige-cocainehandel/

Moshtag B: The motive behind the explosions in The Hague has been revealed
Domestic
•
Dec 18, 1:05 PM
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The police suspect that Moshtag Barekzai (33), a Rotterdam resident of Afghan descent, is the client behind the explosion at the Tarwekamp in The Hague.

The target appears to be a bridal fashion store, the owner of which is B.'s ex-partner. According to several police sources, the motive is not about criminal activities, but about the broken relationship between B. and the owner.

The explosion, which took place in an apartment building, had disastrous consequences. Five apartments were completely destroyed. Six people were killed and four others were injured.

According to investigators, the suspect only wanted to cause damage to the bridal fashion store. However, the consequences were much more serious. Experts point out that inexperience and the use of heavy explosives may have contributed to the enormous damage.

Four suspects arrested
Besides Moshtag Barekzai, three other suspects have been arrested. These are Ilyas (23) and Mourad (29) from Roosendaal and Adil (33) from Oosterhout.

The police suspect that Moshtag B. called in the men to carry out the attack. He used to live in Roosendaal and may have had contact with them there.

Typical Afghan shit. They're not a big factor when it comes to organized crime in our neck of the woods, but some of those assholes actually try to put a hit out when their ex-girlfriend doesn't want to suck their cock anymore.

Years ago there were a few Afghan refugees in my area who were selling hashish out of some night shop. Got their asses whooped by the Moroccans when they found out some refugees were grinding on their turf lol.

Now there's a name. That entire family must be loaded with money right now, but they keep hanging around the campings and trailer parks.

They downplay the drugs/criminal angle now even if the target was an Ex they fail to see the big picture.
Here in the north Syrian gangs do pop up lately also pretty violent explosions, shootings stabbings etc..

Haha I'm reading at the moment Janus his book.

Recently, 'Narco's in Nederland' by Jan Meeus was published, a revealing book about drug crime. He is well informed and shows that 'the Randstad' has a blind spot for the situation in Brabant and its intertwining with the larger, Dutch picture.
Guys like Peerke Schoofs are almost never mentioned in the media.

The striking conclusion of the story is the blind spot of the Dutch media and investigative services for North Brabant. Incidentally, Brabant crime reporters such as Hessel de Ree and René van der Lee have written their pens empty on the Brabant underworld. It is also described crystal clear that stories from the underworld do not have a happy ending. Friends from the past often turn into enemies within a decade and despite the fact that a lot of money is earned, some leaders eventually end up on the ground.

December 20, 2024
Dutch and Colombians arrested in Frisian cocaine laundry
The police dismantled a cocaine laundry in a warehouse in Aldwâld, Friesland, on Tuesday morning. At the same time as the drug lab was dismantled, raids were conducted on several warehouses and homes throughout the country and also in Belgium. A total of eight suspects were arrested.

The police had been on the trail of the suspects since October. They are believed to be part of a group of drug criminals from the Netherlands and South America, who are involved in the large-scale production of cocaine and the trade in ketamine and BMK, a substance used to produce speed and methamphetamine.

Colombians
A warehouse in Aldwâld had been set up to wash the cocaine. The warehouse was full of jerry cans with chemicals when the Special Intervention Service (DSI) raided it on Tuesday morning. A total of 1.7 kilos of washed cocaine and 360 kilos of other material in which the cocaine was still processed were found. Six suspects, including three Dutch and three Colombians, were arrested red-handed in the warehouse.

After the raid on the lab, the National Dismantling Facility (LFO) had to stop the chemical process with the utmost care and remove the material.

https://www.crimesite.nl/nederlanders-en-colombianen-opgepakt-in-friese-cocainewasserij/

Is there an English translation of the book? Would be interested in reading it.

I don't think so most dutch true crime books are not translated into English, an exeption is Judas by Willem Holleeder's sister and lawyer Astrid.

https://www.amazon.com/Judas-Sisters-Testimony-Criminal-Mastermind/dp/0316475300

Eight years in prison for Dennis G. for large-scale cocaine smuggling

The court in Rotterdam sentenced 49-year-old Dennis G., alias “Rasta,” to eight years in prison and a fine of 700,000 euros for smuggling large quantities of cocaine from the Dominican Republic on Monday. The sentence is in accordance with the demand of the justice department. G.'s lawyers have made procedural agreements with the Public Prosecution Service .

Dennis G. from Nieuwegein is a contact of Ridouan Taghi, the main suspect in the Marengo trial. G. was arrested in the Dominican Republic in 2023 and extradited to the Netherlands in May this year.

G. was convicted of smuggling several large shipments of cocaine from the Dominican Republic to the Netherlands and Belgium between 2015 and 2020.

Key figure
The Public Prosecution Service sees G. as a key figure in a network in which Ridouan Taghi and “Bolle Jos” Leijdekkers also operated. These two are not suspects in this trial.

Another figure who is considered part of this network by the judiciary is Boris P., who also made trial agreements. In accordance with these agreements, he was sentenced to eight years in prison and a fine of 200,000 euros for involvement in the import of large quantities of cocaine.

Process agreements
The eight-year prison sentence imposed by the court on Dennis G. is the result of the procedural agreements that the Public Prosecution Service made with G. and his lawyer. In return, G. will not appeal and the defense will not make any further investigation requests. Such procedural agreements allow criminal cases to be dealt with much more quickly.

According to the ANP, during the hearing of his case, G. said that he does not want to return to drug trafficking. 'I never want to experience this again. The profit in drug trafficking is really not worth it.' He was referring to the severe detention regime in which he is held in the Extra Secure Institution (EBI) in Vught.

https://www.crimesite.nl/acht-jaar-cel-voor-dennis-g-wegens-grootschalige-cocainesmokkel/

Vincenzo Musacchio to Nederland 24: ''Corruption is an essential part of the mafia method''
AMDuemila December 23, 2024
“ Corruption has become an essential part of the mafia method and this symbiosis risks getting worse with the progressive weakening of the fighting strategies due above all to ineffective legislative reforms such as, for example, the Nordio law which in Italy abolished abuse of office” said the Italian forensic criminologist Vincenzo Musacchio on the relationship between mafias and corruption, in an interview given to Nederland 24 on the occasion of the International Day Against Corruption. “ It would be appropriate – he continued – to start not approving laws that go in the opposite direction of the fight against corruption, avoiding, for example, that the majority of crimes against the public administration become time-barred in the various levels of judgment provided for by our legal system ”. “ When the mafias use corruption to penetrate the vital nodes of the State, the consequences are devastating, since they negatively impact the economy, finance, the world of work and production processes ”. “ By effectively fighting corruption, we also fight with equal determination the mafias that use and feed on it. Both in Italy and in Europe we have witnessed numerous operations that have revealed a worrying network of connivances involving mafiosi, politicians, entrepreneurs, financiers, professionals and important members of civil society .”


Elections and exchange of favors
“One of the most common infiltrations is to bribe to elect institutional representatives who will then return the favor by making the mafia profit. We get you elected and then you will assign us the contracts and/or subsidies” . “ In my studies, unfortunately, I have to say that these episodes are not isolated cases” , said Musacchio. “ Given this is the current situation, the urgency of legislative interventions to effectively combat corruption, both at national and European level, becomes unpostponable. It is essential that political forces understand the importance of a fight against corruption without borders ”.

Source: Fai.informazione.it

5 Dutch fugitives on the EU most wanted list among them gang leaders Bolle Jos Leijdekkers and Marco Ebben.

https://eumostwanted.eu/

Dead and injured in police raid in Rotterdam
During a raid by an arrest team on a house on Speelmanstraat in the Rotterdam district of Kralingen, a suspect was shot dead on Saturday morning. Another wanted suspect was injured and has been arrested. A seriously injured woman was also found in the house and was taken to hospital.

The raid took place in the context of an Amsterdam investigation in which a 33-year-old man was found dead in a basement storage room corridor on the Clauskindereweg in Amsterdam-Osdorp last week. The man appeared to have been shot dead. It is possible that this was a liquidation.

Firefight
The raid on the house on Speelmanstraat in Rotterdam took place this morning just before 05:00. Several people were present in the building. During the raid, shots were reportedly fired at the police, after which the police returned fire. During a gunfight, three people were injured, including a suspect who was fatally wounded. The other two injured people were taken to hospital. One of them, a man, is also a suspect in the Amsterdam investigation. A member of the arrest team was hit by a bullet, but remained unharmed.

Forensic investigation is investigating trace evidence in the apartment complex. Several bullet casings have been found in the stairwell.

National Criminal Investigation Department
The National Criminal Investigation Department is investigating the police shooting. This is an independent body that investigates the actions of the police under the supervision of the Public Prosecution Service. This always happens when someone is injured or dies during police action.

https://www.crimesite.nl/dode-en-gewonden-bij-politie-inval-in-rotterdam/

Monday, 13 January 2025 - 09:03

More small and "radical" motorcycle gangs in the Netherlands, police say


Since the Netherlands banned larger outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMGs) like Hells Angels, Satudarah, and No Surrender, the number of smaller clubs has risen steadily. The Netherlands now counts 84 small outlaw motorcycle gangs and they are often more radical than the old clubs, NOS reports based on a new police report.

Some of the new clubs were founded by members of banned motorcycle gangs. Their member numbers range from a handful to several dozen people. Many members have a criminal past.

“The members of the majority of the new clubs are more radical (criminal) than the former OMG members,” the police wrote, according to NOS. “They are involved in serious forms of crime.” Suspicions of violence, drug trafficking, and money laundering are relatively common.

The police added that the number of crimes that OMG members are suspected of has decreased slightly despite this development. And most suspicions are against members, not the motorcycle club as a whole.

Unlike in other countries, there are hardly any tensions between motorcycle gangs in the Netherlands. Criminal members of competing OMGs regularly work together.

The police noted that banned OMGs still have chapters in the Netherlands. Investigators suspect that the Hells Angels still had 18 chapters underground here last year. Satudarah had 14 and No Surrender 16, the police believe. These clubs are also expanding abroad, opening new chapters in Spain and South America. The clubs abroad may have become more attractive because of their ban in the Netherlands, the police wrote.

The police and Public Prosecution Service warned that attention to crime at outlaw motorcycle gangs must not slacken. The police think that a bill giving the Minister for Legal Protection the authority to ban “undermining organizations,” which will be discussed in the Senate later this month, will help in the fight against criminal motorcycle clubs. They also believe that mayors should continue to close clubhouses as much as possible.

Tuesday, 14 January 2025 - 16:10

Top criminal lawyer swapped thousands of messages with crime boss, Prosecutors say
On the first day of her trial at the Rotterdam court, former attorney Inez Weski faced allegations from the Public Prosecution Service (OM) of misusing her position as a lawyer to shield her communications with Ridouan Taghi, her former client. Prosecutors alleged that Weski exchanged at least 8,000 messages with Taghi and his associates while he was detained in the Extra Beveiligde Inrichting (EBI) in Vught.

Weski, 69, was not present in court Tuesday, citing “serious personal and medical reasons.” In her absence, her attorneys, led by Geert-Jan Knoops, read a prepared statement in her defense. The statement criticized the OM for making what Weski described as “careless, unsettling, and damaging” claims in the media ahead of the trial.

“She has served the rule of law for 45 years and deserves respect,” Knoops said in court. He described Weski as “an extraordinary woman and attorney who has dedicated her entire life to justice.”

The OM accused Weski of secretly passing messages to and from Taghi during her time as his attorney, allegedly enabling him to maintain control over criminal operations from behind bars. The prosecution claimed these communications were disguised as confidential legal correspondence, a misuse of attorney-client privilege.

The OM argued Weski was “hiding behind her attorney’s robe” to facilitate unlawful communications. “This is not about respecting legal confidentiality,” the prosecutor stated. “This is about deliberately aiding a criminal network.” Weski has consistently denied the accusations through her legal team.

Weski was arrested in April 2023 and spent more than 40 days in pretrial detention, a period she later described as “traumatic.” She claimed she was held in a secretive, windowless facility, which she referred to as a “bunker,” where she experienced multiple “near-death” incidents due to health complications and alleged safety lapses.

Weski’s statement Tuesday requested clarification from authorities about why she was placed in those conditions, stating that the detention “created life-threatening situations.” She also alleged that her inability to summon help when the intercom system malfunctioned exacerbated her health issues.

The OM dismissed Weski’s claims of deliberate endangerment as “unfounded and absurd.” A spokesperson stated, “All necessary measures were taken to ensure her safety and health during her detention.”

Weski, once a prominent attorney, played a role in enabling Taghi to continue his criminal activities while incarcerated. Taghi is considered the alleged leader of the so-called “Mocro Mafia,” a criminal network linked to drug trafficking, violence, and assassinations in the Netherlands and abroad.

Weski resigned as Taghi’s lawyer shortly before her arrest, citing professional and ethical concerns. The OM has previously suggested that Weski was under pressure from Taghi’s organization to comply with their demands, a claim she has denied.

Further hearings in the trial are expected to focus on the content of the alleged 8,000 communications, their implications, and whether Weski’s actions violated Dutch legal standards governing attorney-client relationships.

She had also previously revealed that the Public Prosecution Service (OM) attempted to pressure her into becoming a key witness or “special informant with favors” following her arrest last year. In the interview with NRC, Weski described the encounter with two prosecutors during her detention as “the strangest” experience of her custody.

The OM allegedly presented Weski with an offer of protection and the possibility of relocation abroad in exchange for information about Taghi and his associates. “I was persistently told by various services of all kinds of dire warnings about danger and threats,” Weski said. She added that she ended the meeting after 15 minutes, feeling the offer crossed professional boundaries. “I thought: how dare you.” In July 2023, Weski deregistered as an attorney. She has since published a book about her arrest and the case against her, Het geluid van de stilte.

Reporting by ANP and NL Times

https://nltimes.nl/2025/01/14/top-c...ands-messages-crime-boss-prosecutors-say

She is called in the media the European Griselda Blanco.

This is how notorious 'godmother of Amsterdam' Aura C. fell into the trap: attack in her luxury apartment was the beginning of the end
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Marcel Vink

Modified: 1 hour ago2 hours agoin Domestic

MEDELLÍN - She led a spiritual life, but the many amulets and tarot cards she had in her house could not protect her from the arrest team that stormed her home last September. The game was up for Dutch cocaine dealer Aura Jazmin C., whom our country had been looking for for a long time.


Aura C. (middle).
© Colombian Police

On Wednesday, the Dutch woman, who also has Colombian nationality, was extradited to our country. She is suspected of drug trafficking and money laundering, and is considered by the Dutch Public Prosecution Service to be a leader in the international drug trade.

'Godmother of Amsterdam' surprised at home
The 'godmother of Amsterdam', as she was nicknamed, was completely surprised when heavily armed units suddenly appeared in front of her a year ago. The 48-year-old beautiful Dutch woman was watching TV in a pink nothing that she wore as pyjamas.

Images of the spectacular action show the woman - who has by then put on a jogging suit - being taken away in handcuffs.

'La madrina' - as she is mainly called in Colombia, in Dutch the 'godmother' - is seen as an important link in the cocaine trade between Colombia and Rotterdam. At her arrest, two bags full of slabs of coke are shown. That turned out to be just the tip of the iceberg.

‘Se busca!’, screamed a wanted poster in the South American country shortly before, or: wanted! The photo of Aura C. in a tight white top gave the forty-year-old a rather criminal ‘aura’.

Leaders of the international cocaine trade
The police in Medellín struck at a time when more leaders of the international cocaine trade were being hunted down, tracked down and arrested. Aura C. was locked up in the Buen Pastor women’s prison in Bogotá, a complex that is feared because of the appalling conditions in which detainees live. Last year, several prisoners started a hunger strike in the hope of forcing a better environment. In vain.

Dutch, Spanish and Colombian authorities tracked her down after a joint long-term investigation. Under the supervision of the Royal Military Police, she ended up in the Netherlands on Thursday.

Intercepted messages
Intercepted and cracked messages from the encrypted messaging service Sky ECC showed that she was involved in a batch of 230 kilos of cocaine that was intercepted in Spain in November 2020.

In 2017, Aura C. had already been convicted by the Amsterdam court for preparing drug smuggling. Her younger sister was also convicted at the time. Together they had a real estate agency and arranged housing for criminals in this way.

Armored Toyota
The Dutch woman had been living in her home country for quite some time and tried to stay under the radar as much as possible. She traveled in a gray armored Toyota Land Cruiser that was parked right outside her front door.

The car was registered in the name of a tailor and had a special permit from the Public Prosecution Service in Antioquia, which meant that the car could always drive through security checks. It is unclear how and why she got it. Ultimately, it was precisely this car that ensured that she could be traced, the police announced later, without going into further detail.

Text continues below the photo.

Aura C. was previously imprisoned in the Buen Pastor women's prison in Bogotá, a complex that is feared because of the appalling conditions in which detainees live.
Aura C. was previously imprisoned in the Buen Pastor women's prison in Bogotá, a complex that is feared because of the appalling conditions in which detainees live.

The woman had devised a number of tactics to remain out of sight of the authorities, although these were not explained. She therefore mainly communicated via PGP telephones, which were long considered to be uncrackable.

Luxury apartment and exclusive restaurant
The Dutch woman lived in a luxurious apartment in El Poblado, an expensive neighbourhood in Medellín. Access to the house was protected by armoured doors. Inside, officers found numerous amulets and tarot cards, which she had purchased from a spiritual point of view in the hope of being spared from a years-long stay in prison.

During the raid by the arrest team, numerous assets were seized, including 110 million pesos in cash (the equivalent of about 25,000 euros), mobile devices, a laptop, several vehicles including
including a very expensive Audi, and expensive jewelry. In Bogotá, she is also said to own an exclusive restaurant.

Notorious gathering of criminals in Amsterdam
Aura C., according to various Colombian media, came into the sights of justice after a notorious gathering of criminals in Amsterdam in 2019, in which an Albanian gangster was injured. The woman is said to have had an apartment in our capital where she met major drug lords from that country. The assassination attempt earned her a 'mention' from Interpol. That was the beginning of the end.

Earlier, C. was also caught after she personally tried to smuggle money from Spain to Colombia. In 2003, she was arrested at El Dorado airport in Bogotá with 200,000 euros in cash, hidden in a belt, and sentenced to six years in prison for attempted money laundering.

The 'godmother' eventually served a 72-month prison sentence, but it did not lead to her saying goodbye to the world of narcotics and black money for good.

Rocket launcher
Her organization was also being hunted in the Netherlands. Up to eight months ago, 34 house searches were carried out. Six people were arrested, almost half a million euros were seized, as well as 27 firearms (including six long-range rifles), 21 pistols with silencers, an anti-tank rocket launcher, and ammunition weighing no less than 14 kilos. Many more weapons and wads of banknotes were found during subsequent raids.

A year ago, the Colombian police also announced that they were looking for her ex-husband, the Dutchman Erik van T., an architect suspected of real estate fraud and possible complicity in criminal operations, as reported by the El Tiempo medium.