Police arrest Dutch-Swiss hashish 'traffickers'
Law enforcement authorities in the canton of Neuchâtel say they have cracked a major Swiss-Dutch drug smuggling ring that has been dealing hundreds of kilograms of hashish and marijuana since the 1990s.
Cantonal prosecutor Nicola Feuz said three men, including a 41-year-old Swiss citizen and two Dutchmen aged 57 and 62, have been arrested following the seizure of 15 kilogram of hash and pot, Le Matin newspaper reported online on Tuesday.
The arrests followed a probe dubbed “Operation President” that began on January 29in the community of Cortaillord, the newspaper said.
A search of the Swiss man’s home uncovered two suitcases containing 49 “loaves” of hashish and marijuana, Feuz said.
Four days later, the Dutchmen were arrested upon their arrival in Neuchâtel, one of them serving as a driver while the other was a porter.
Feuz said the duo used various re-sellers in the canton to sell more than half a tonne of hash and marijuana bringing in five million francs.
According to the Neuchâtel police drug squad the bust is one of the biggest in the canton’s history.
“Both by the quantities involved, the duration of the trafficking over close to 20 years, the precautions used by the traffickers and the number of people affected, it goes beyond the ordinary,” Feuz is quoted as saying by Le Matin.
The three men remain in detention while the investigation continues, notably in the Netherlands to track down other members of the network.
Comments
See Also
Cantonal prosecutor Nicola Feuz said three men, including a 41-year-old Swiss citizen and two Dutchmen aged 57 and 62, have been arrested following the seizure of 15 kilogram of hash and pot, Le Matin newspaper reported online on Tuesday.
The arrests followed a probe dubbed “Operation President” that began on January 29in the community of Cortaillord, the newspaper said.
A search of the Swiss man’s home uncovered two suitcases containing 49 “loaves” of hashish and marijuana, Feuz said.
Four days later, the Dutchmen were arrested upon their arrival in Neuchâtel, one of them serving as a driver while the other was a porter.
Feuz said the duo used various re-sellers in the canton to sell more than half a tonne of hash and marijuana bringing in five million francs.
According to the Neuchâtel police drug squad the bust is one of the biggest in the canton’s history.
“Both by the quantities involved, the duration of the trafficking over close to 20 years, the precautions used by the traffickers and the number of people affected, it goes beyond the ordinary,” Feuz is quoted as saying by Le Matin.
The three men remain in detention while the investigation continues, notably in the Netherlands to track down other members of the network.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.