Five men arrested for underwater cocaine smuggling in IJmuiden
Police in IJmuiden arrested five men, including three Colombian nationals, for an alleged plot to smuggle cocaine hidden below the waterline of a cargo ship. The suspects were apprehended during a night operation and are now being investigated by a specialized task force targeting drug trafficking in the North Sea Canal area.
On the night of October 24, law enforcement officers at the IJmuiden harbor discovered a suspicious van parked near a ship that had recently arrived from Colombia. Inside the vehicle, they found a 36-year-old Colombian man putting on a diving suit, alongside a driver from Badhoevedorp and a passenger from Castricum. Authorities believe the suspects intended to retrieve large quantities of cocaine hidden beneath the ship's waterline. Two additional Colombian nationals suspected of coordinating the operation were arrested later that night.
The investigation is currently being led by the HARC-team Noordzeekanaalgebied, a joint task force comprising the police, customs, and fiscal intelligence services. This arrest follows a period of heightened concern regarding drug trafficking within the North Sea Canal area. Regional authorities have been intensifying their cooperation since 2022 to combat maritime smuggling, noting a rise in large-scale seizures at ports between IJmuiden and Amsterdam. All five suspects remain in custody as the criminal investigation continues.
Based on reporting by parool. Translated and condensed by LocalHeadlines.
