Dutch and Colombian suspects arrested over underwater drug smuggling in IJmuiden
Five men have been arrested on suspicion of attempting to smuggle cocaine into the Netherlands through the port of IJmuiden. The arrests took place during the night of October 24, leading into 25, after police caught a suspected diver preparing to retrieve drugs from underneath a cargo ship that had arrived from Colombia.
The arrests followed a targeted surveillance operation in the port of IJmuiden.
Police officers noticed a suspicious van parked close to a cargo ship that had docked in IJmuiden the previous day after arriving from Colombia.
Investigators already had information suggesting that drugs might be hidden underneath the ship's waterline. This prompted officers to inspect the van. Inside the loading area, they discovered a 36-year-old Colombian man who was in the process of changing into a diving suit.
Police also found diving equipment in the vehicle, ready for someone to enter the water. Officers intervened before the suspected diver could enter the water and retrieve the drugs. The diver, the driver and the passenger were arrested immediately.
Two of the five men arrested were from the Netherlands. One man is a 36-year-old from Badhoevedorp; he is alleged to have been the driver of the van. The other Dutch suspect, accused of being a passenger in the van, is 35 years old, from Castricum. The other three suspects were Colombian.
The investigation concerns a method known as underwater drug smuggling. In this method, traffickers hide drugs underneath a ship's waterline, often attaching packages to the vessel's exterior. The drugs remain outside the ship's regular cargo areas. Once the ship reaches its destination, divers enter the water to retrieve the packages before the vessel leaves port.
All five men have appeared before an investigating judge. The judge decided that they must remain in custody for longer while the investigation continues. This means all five are currently being held in pretrial detention. They have not been convicted, and their alleged involvement remains subject to investigation.