Dutch cocaine-broker case in Colombia grows to 55 suspects

An investigation into two Dutch men accused of brokering cocaine shipments from Colombia has grown into a much wider case, with prosecutors now pursuing 55 suspects, 35 of them already arrested, for drug trafficking, money laundering, extortion, violence and planned kidnappings.

Pre-trial hearings began on Monday at Zwolle district court, broadcaster NOS reported. The two main suspects, Dutch men aged 42 and 47, were arrested in Colombia in February and are still awaiting extradition, which can take more than a year.

The case grew out of a national police investigation opened in January 2025. Prosecutors say the pair connected Colombian cartels with cocaine buyers in the Netherlands and arranged shipments of hundreds of kilos at a time.

Intercepted chat messages then led investigators to a web of associates, and twelve further investigations are now running.

One concerns four men who allegedly prepared to kidnap the girlfriend of a man suspected of stealing a cocaine shipment in 2024, a theft that left a debt of more than €700,000. The kidnapping did not go ahead, and prosecutors say they do not know why.

Another involves two men accused of extorting around 1,000 clients of the sex-work website Kinky, who allegedly faced threats of serious violence unless they paid. Police believe the pair took more than €100,000.

The Netherlands has invested heavily in police cooperation with Colombia, which prosecutors say is now producing results, with several Dutch nationals arrested there. The main suspects’ cases will not be heard in full until they are extradited