A total of 18 people have been killed in gangland shootings in the Netherlands so far this year, according to research by the Telegraaf.

This is well down on 2014’s total of 24 but still double the average of around 10 gang-related murders a year, the paper said. ‘The police have done a great deal to try to prevent killings,’ the paper’s crime reporter Mick van Wely said.

Nevertheless, it has become increasingly easy to order a gangland killing, criminologist Eric Bervoets said. ‘You used to need a few bullets to kill someone. Now it is easy to get hold of a Kalashnikov and shoot until you have emptied the magazine.’

Seven of the killings took place in Amsterdam and three in Rotterdam. The others were scattered around the country, including Ridderkerk, Eindhoven, Utrecht and Almere.

The most shocking murder was that of known criminal Lucas Boom who was gunned down in front of a primary school in Zaandam, the paper said.

The police have also been able to prevent several killings and three went wrong after the victim got away.