Dutch Navy confiscates 60 million euros in the Caribbean
In two drug seizures in the Caribbean Sea, Zr. EM. Groningen intercepted almost 2,600 kilos of drugs. Yesterday more than 2,000 kilos were seized, last Sunday it was 560 kilos. The narcotics have been destroyed.
The seizures were part of a joint operation of the Dutch Navy and the Caribbean Coast Guard.
On Sunday, the navy deployed a fast interceptor in pursuit. Warning shots were fired, but the ship did not stop, the military said. Then, Dutch crew members pointed their guns at the fast boat’s outboard engines and fired at them until they stopped running.
The six persons in the speedboat were arrested. “During the chase, the passengers threw drug packages into the water. They were then pulled out of the water,” the military said. In total, 560 kilograms of cocaine were found. Recent estimates by the Dutch Public Prosecutor’s Office (OM) show the value of the cocaine to be almost 42 million euros.
2,000 kilograms of cannabis.
On Tuesday, the Coast Guard managed to detect another speedboat. This time, the suspected smugglers stopped the vessel after firing warning shots. The number of people arrested in this incident was not immediately disclosed. In total, 2,000 kilos of cannabis were seized. An estimate used by the Public Prosecutor’s Office in a separate case puts the street value of this haul at approximately 19 million euros. All suspects arrested were handed over by the navy to local authorities and the seized drugs have since been destroyed.
New record
Drug seizures continue unabated in the Caribbean. Since the May deployment of the patrol boat Zr. EM. Groningen there have already been nine drug seizures. In 2022, after six months of effort, a new record was set with 18 interceptions, equivalent to 21,300 kilos of drugs. The vast majority was cocaine, a total of 17,800 kilos. In addition, 3,500 kilos of marijuana were involved. During these operations, the navy cooperates with a large number of countries.
Source ao: NLtimes.nl (EN)
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