The right-wing liberal party VVD has called for prosecutors to stop making plea bargaining deals with members of drugs gangs designed to speed up the justice system.

The prosecution service (Openbare Ministerie) has increasingly promised suspects they will demand shorter sentences if they drop part of their defence, in order to reduce the length of the trial.

But VVD justice spokesman Ulysse Ellian said deals should not be done with alleged gang leaders, citing the case of the son of notorious drugs boss Ridouan Taghi, who is due to be sentenced on Monday.

The OM reduced its sentencing demand in the case of Faissal Taghi from eight years to six in a plea bargain after he undertook not to exercise his right to request more research or lodge an appeal.

Prosecutors believe Faissal was being groomed to succeed his father Ridouan, who is serving a life sentence for ordering several underworld murders, following the latter’s arrest in Dubai in 2019.

Ellian plans to table a motion in parliament that would stop the OM offering reduced sentences to people accused of serious drug-related offences, when MPs debate the justice ministry’s budget this week.

“For me the task set by parliament and society is very simple: major league criminals shouldn’t get away with it. But that’s what’s happening,” he said.

The prosecution service defended the practice on the grounds that plea bargains prevent the justice system from becoming overburdened with long complicated trials.

A spokesman added: “These deals can also include financial penalties. In many cases fines of millions of euros are imposed. That money flows straight back into the state coffers.”

The OM also pointed out that although prosecutors can request shorter sentences as part of its case, judges can overrule them.

“The court always has the last word. It examines the deals in detail and can ignore them,” the spokesman added.

“But if criminals can receive effective and appropriate sentences as a result of plea bargains, it allows us to bring countless other cases to court.”