In Spain, a 56-year-old Dutch national was arrested on suspicion of leading a criminal organization and organizing international drug shipments. His sons, aged 31 and 23, were also arrested by Dutch police in The Hague and Haarlem.
The suspects came under scrutiny after the 2021 cracking of the criminal communication system Sky ECC. In the Netherlands alone, police intercepted 80 million messages. According to a police spokesperson, since then there has been “so much evidence that now only the perpetrators need to be identified.”
The 56-year-old man lives in Spain; the exact location of his arrest has not been disclosed. He is classified as a High Value Target, which is why Spain also placed great importance on his apprehension. He was arrested by the National Unit for Investigation and Interventions in cooperation with the Spanish police.
So far, the suspects are linked to six intercepted cocaine shipments totaling nearly 600 kilograms, seized in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Spain.
In the Netherlands, ten properties were searched, and one in Spain. Items seized included data carriers (such as phones and hard drives), luxury watches, cars, a small quantity of drugs, and €150,000—partly in cash and partly in bank accounts. In Spain, data carriers, records, and a car were also seized.
The two suspects in the Netherlands are being held for questioning and will appear before the examining magistrate on Friday. The father remains in custody in Spain. It is not yet known when he will be brought before a judge or extradited.
