Police search homes of eight men in drug-rape investigation

Police have searched homes across the Netherlands and arrested four men in an investigation into women who were allegedly drugged and sexually abused by people close to them, the force said on Thursday.

The searches took place on May 27 and 28 at several locations around the country. They followed an investigation by the sexual offences team and the regional detective service of the Rotterdam police unit, which began after a tip-off from government agencies in Germany and the UK.

According to police, several women in the Netherlands may have been drugged by someone in their immediate circle and then subjected to sexual acts while being filmed.

The suspects are said to have operated in closed groups on social media where they shared footage of the abuse and exchanged advice on how to drug victims.

Detectives have identified eight suspects, all men aged 21 to 51, from Rotterdam, Sassenheim, Hilversum, Veldhoven, Sint Willebrord, Amstelveen, and the municipalities of Hulst and Horst aan de Maas.

The four who have been arrested and questioned come from Horst aan de Maas, Hulst, Sint Willebrord, and Sassenheim. Police said further arrests have not been ruled out.

The allegations against the men range from membership of the group to producing and distributing the material, and, in some cases, drugging women and rape or attempted rape. Officers seized phones, computers, USB sticks, and memory cards, as well as drugs and weapons.

Victims and support

Police said it is not yet clear how many women were affected and that examining the seized devices will take time. “What is clear is that this is a case with an enormous impact,” said Milou van der Kolk of the Rotterdam sexual offences team.

Victims might not know what had happened to them because they may have been unconscious at the time, she added.

Victim support organisation Slachtofferhulp Nederland has set up a team to help those affected, working with the Centre for Sexual Violence and abuse helpline Veilig Thuis.

If you have experienced or are experiencing domestic or sexual violence, Veilig Thuis offers confidential advice 24 hours a day on 0800 2000 or at veiligthuis.nl.