In a major operation against hemp cultivation, police arrested 14 people Tuesday morning. Twenty-nine premises were searched at various locations in Limburg, Brabant and Gelderland.

A total of 1,600 hemp plants were found, 1,900 cuttings and around 25,000 euros in cash were found. In addition, police were able to seize fourteen cars and motorcycles worth 165,000 euros.

Various goods for hemp cultivation were also found and seized. Police also found the necessary weapons, teasers, computers and cell phones. These were also confiscated. These are under further investigation.

From den B.

Mario van den B. from Sittard is one of the fourteen people arrested. He lives on the Dorpstraat in Sittard and owns a garden center on the Rijksweg in Geleen. There, too, police raided and items were confiscated. Identities of the other thirteen persons arrested have not yet been disclosed.

Information

According to the police, Paul de Rooij (police chief of base unit Western Mining Region) says that information came in to the police that gave visibility to this network. Several investigations were then launched in May. According to Sjraar Cox, the action was aimed at making residential areas safe because of drug crime.

The interrogation of the 14 suspects should clarify who had what role in the organization.

According to police and justice spokesman, the investigation does not focus on the "errand boys," but on the core of the organization involved in cannabis cultivation in the region around Sittard. These people are causing an undermining of society, the police said.

Unrest

Mayor Sjraar Cox of Sittard spoke of unrest in many neighborhoods. "A certain group of people consider themselves untouchable and are causing a lot of unrest in their own neighborhoods," he knew. He spoke of a number of interconnected networks of criminals, some of which merge into one another. "One such web we tackled on Tuesday," Cox said.

The action continues Tuesday. More arrests are not ruled out.

The defendant(s) in this case are assisted by: