The Schiedam plumber Ron van Uffelen, who was hit by attacks, has had a conflict with Marco E in the past. He is a convicted drug smuggler wanted by Europol. The plumber sees him as one of the suspects for the explosions around his buildings. “But it could just as well be someone else,” he says on RTV Rijnmond.
Image: Marco E., wanted by Europol and convicted of drug smuggling.
Fought
The regional channel asks Van Uffelen whether he knows fugitive Marco E. The plumber confirms this. ‘Yes, I know that one. And it’s true that I fought him four years ago. Everyone in the media finds that interesting, because it is a well-known name. Otherwise you wouldn’t have mentioned him either.’
RTV Rijnmond asks what the argument with E. was about. ‘About a buddy of mine who passed away. I won’t say more about that.’
Marco E. has been on Europol’s Most Wanted list since December last year. He was sentenced to 7 years and four months in prison in October 2020. He was involved in drug smuggling from Brazil to the Netherlands, the police department wrote. ‘In the period 2014-2015, he and other suspects smuggled 400 kilos of cocaine into the country. This happened in containers filled with pineapples.’
According to police sources, the possible involvement of fugitive Marco Ebben in the explosions in Vlaardingen is one of the scenarios being investigated by the Rotterdam police. The police themselves previously did not want to comment and say they are taking all scenarios into account.
Soldiers
Marco E. is also on Van Uffelen’s list of suspects, but he is not certain that he had the attacks carried out. ‘Yes, but it could just as well be someone else sending his “soldiers” after me. For example, someone I fired. I drew up a list and I also gave it to the police. What we are doing now is ticking the boxes. There may have been ten people in the picture already. The police visited some of them, and I visited some of them myself. Even motorcycle club Caloh Wagoh. But it turned out they had nothing to do with it. Now there are still quite a few left.’
Last year, the plumber’s house and several buildings were among the targets of attacks. A number of suspects were also arrested.
