On Friday, the Public Prosecution Service demanded prison sentences of up to seven years against thirteen suspects in the international drug case Vidar. The Public Prosecution Service accuses them of participating in a criminal organization, exporting 86 kilos of amphetamine to Finland and making preparations for the export of 30 kilos of amphetamine to Denmark and 300 kilos of cocaine to Australia. They are also accused of money laundering and possession of weapons. A total of fourteen suspects are on trial on appeal. The sentence against one suspect is expected on February 19.
Red Devils
On April 20, 2018, the police and the judiciary started an investigation into the possible involvement of members of the Hells Angels North Coast in Harlingen in the international trade in hard drugs. The investigation started with a suspicion against a member of the Red Devils Leeuwarden, a support club of the Hells Angels. The main question in the research was whether or not members of Hells Angels in the Northern Netherlands are involved in international drug trafficking. According to the Public Prosecution Service, the investigation shows that the prosecuted members are indeed suspected of this.
The case received a lot of publicity because the police deployed a criminal civilian infiltrator. In August 2022, the Northern Netherlands court ruled that the use of a criminal civilian infiltrator in the Vidar drugs case is lawful.
A-4110
The criminal citizen, named A-4110 in the investigation, was approached by a Red Devils member in early 2018 with questions about the supply of drugs. The citizen then went to the police. The police had been investigating an organization surrounding the Hells Angels in Harlingen and its involvement in drug trafficking for some time. It was expressly intended that he would be deployed for a short period of time. Initially to gather information and to purchase drugs under the direction of the police.
Undercover agents
The aim was also to introduce undercover agents, who would then take over from him. That strategy turned out not to work; the suspects only wanted to do business with the contact A-4110 they knew and trusted. According to the Public Prosecution Service, the initiative for the criminal activities has always rested with the suspects.
Finnish Hells Angel
Due to the efforts of the criminal civilian infiltrator and the many statements he made, it was ultimately demonstrated that a prominent member of Hells Angels Harlingen was involved in the international drug trade and that a member of Hells Angels Finland participated in the criminal organization that promoted the drug trade. and transferred sums of money from Finland to the Netherlands. The Finn was sentenced to eleven years in prison in his home country in July 2020 for smuggling 86 kilos of speed from the Netherlands.
Up to seven years in prison
In August 2022, the court convicted fifteen suspects for the export of large quantities of hard drugs, money laundering, participation in a criminal organization and possession of weapons. Five suspects have been acquitted. The sentences imposed by the court range from 80 hours of community service to seven years in prison.
A total of fourteen suspects are on appeal. Twelve suspects appealed after their convictions, and the Public Prosecution Service appealed against two acquittals.
Health
During the appeal, uncertainty arose about the health of the criminal civilian infiltrator. Research was therefore carried out into his constitution at the end of 2023. According to the Public Prosecution Service, this investigation shows that it cannot be determined what the exact state of his health is at the moment and whether his health played tricks on him during the deployment from 2018 to 2020.
Reliable and usable
During his deployment, conversations between the infiltrator and the suspects were recorded. That is important evidence for the Public Prosecution Service. In his intensive contact with the police officers who assisted him at the time, it appears that he made very detailed and complete statements and that these statements can be tested against other investigative findings. The Public Prosecution Service states that the statements he made at the time, but also now, years later, are reliable and therefore useful. The health of the criminal civilian infiltrator then and now does not alter this.
On Friday, the Public Prosecution Service demanded sentences ranging from two months to seven years in prison on appeal.
The sentence in the case of one suspect, a prominent member of Hells Angels Harlingen, is expected on February 19.
Also see:
How a criminal civilian infiltrator rolled up a Frisian drug network
Civilian infiltrator deployed in investigation of international drug network
