ZWOLLE - In a recent verdict, the court in Zwolle convicted seven members of a criminal organization for their involvement in the smuggling of hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from Curaçao to regions in East Netherlands, including Twente and Achterhoek. The 50-year-old leader, Kaptan C. from Hengelo, received the most severe sentence: nine years in prison.
This large-scale operation, part of the 'Tartarus' operation, uncovered an extensive network of cocaine smuggling that spanned multiple cities and areas in the Netherlands and Germany. Police conducted raids at thirteen different locations, including Hengelo, Enschede, Silvolde, Amsterdam, Delft, IJmuiden, and even in Vreden, just across the German border.
In addition to the 50-year-old leader from Hengelo, Martinus Z. from Delft, a 56-year-old plasterer who was considered a co-leader and the mastermind behind the smuggling method, was also convicted. Both leaders have indicated they will appeal their conviction, along with most other convicts from Hengelo, Winterswijk, and Schiedam. Only two men have decided to accept their sentence.
The 77-year-old accomplice, Theo S., from the Achterhoek, who used his car business as a cover for the smuggling activities, is one of them. Most of the smuggled goods, hidden in loads of limestone, were delivered and processed in his shed in Silvolde.
S. received a lower sentence because he made a partially confessional statement. He was sentenced to thirty months in prison, with twenty-four months suspended. Additionally, he must complete 480 hours of community service. As he spent seven months in pretrial detention, he did not have to return to jail.
The police operation was supported by specialized drug dogs and a search team from the defense, which utilized advanced techniques such as ground radar. Large quantities of drugs, money, luxury goods, and documentation were seized during the actions.