WILLEMSTAD – The Joint Court of Justice has delivered verdicts in two large-scale drug trafficking cases connected to Curaçao, resulting in a conviction in one case and a full acquittal in another. The rulings mark a significant moment in long-running investigations into cocaine smuggling through the port of Curaçao.
Both cases stem from broader criminal investigations that previously led to the prosecution of multiple suspects. In 2024, nine individuals appeared before the Court of First Instance for their alleged involvement in cocaine shipments via the Curaçao port. At the time, the Public Prosecution Service described the cases as part of a well-organized network using the island’s harbor to export large quantities of drugs to the Netherlands.
Three Containers, One Conviction
In the so-called Crow case, the Joint Court ruled that a suspect was criminally involved in the export of three sea containers containing nearly 200 kilograms of cocaine. The containers, officially loaded with limestone, were shipped from Curaçao to the Netherlands in 2022.
The Court found that it could not be proven that the suspect knew drugs were hidden inside the containers. However, judges concluded that he played an active role in arranging, paying for, and transporting the containers. That logistical involvement was deemed sufficient for criminal liability. The man was sentenced to 24 months in prison, of which 18 months are suspended, with a probation period of three years. Due to time already spent in pretrial detention, he will not return to prison.
Acquittal in Separate Case
In contrast, the Court reached a different conclusion in another high-profile case involving 819 kilograms of cocaine discovered in a container on the Curaçao port grounds in 2022, destined for Rotterdam.
A security guard who was on duty at the port that night had previously been sentenced to six years in prison by the lower court. On appeal, however, the Joint Court fully acquitted him. According to the judges, the evidence was insufficient to establish that he was involved in bringing the drugs onto the port or concealing them in the container, despite his presence on the premises at the critical time.
Evidence Remains Key
With these rulings, the Court underscored the importance of a high evidentiary threshold in complex drug trafficking cases. Mere presence at a sensitive location or indirect involvement does not automatically justify a conviction. At the same time, the conviction in the container case confirms that logistical or facilitating roles in drug transport can still be punishable, even if direct intent or knowledge of the drugs cannot be proven.
For Curaçao, the cases once again highlight the vulnerability of its port to international drug trafficking, as well as the legal complexity involved in prosecuting such crimes. The differing outcomes also illustrate that courts carefully assess each suspect’s individual role, weighing precisely what can and cannot be proven beyond reasonable doubt.