South Holland flower wholesaler gets involved in drug smuggling

“The police came into my business and asked about one of the trucks. I had no idea what was going on.”

An entrepreneur in the flower export business tells of the day the police showed up on his doorstep. One of the trucks he had hired from a transporter and had driven to Scandinavia had been intercepted in Norway. A large quantity of drugs was found among the flowers.

Trust damaged

The transporter seemed reliable. “The driver worked through-via, was decent and drove to Scandinavia more often. If I had known what he was up to, I would never have let him go.”

When police arrested not only the driver but also the owner of the transport company, the realization dawned: this was bigger than imagined. “He was struggling financially at times, but I thought: a drug dealer has money, right? That image turned out to be wrong.”

Implications for the entire chain

The truck was commandeered and the owner was arrested, causing the transportation company to shut down and eventually go out of business.

That disruption also impacted the flower wholesaler. The entrepreneur had to look for a new driver for the route to Norway. Through his network, he quickly found someone, but before the transport was as smooth as before, weeks had passed.

His warning

The flower exporter warns, “Even if you think you know someone: stay alert. Criminals don’t have a fixed face. So screen your people and partners well. Financial pressure can lead people to choices you don’t see expected and whose consequences you don’t see coming.”

Tips

Pay attention to who comes to your dock and carries your flowers. Make sure you really know not only your people but also your partners by talking to them regularly or just having a chat. Then you are more likely to notice different behavior. Is someone suddenly nervous or walking around with 3 phones? Are you allowed to look in the cab and be at the loading? Of course, it also helps to screen people beforehand. In addition, doing regular dog checks can also be effective. If something is in the load, the dog will sit next to it.

If you notice something, report it. Reporting is different from reporting. It can be a signal of something that stands out or doesn’t feel right. This information is very useful in further investigation.

For immediate suspicious situations, call 112 or police at 0900-8844. For a call or tips, contact the neighborhood police officer who is active at 1 of the auction sites.

Source: this article is based on the publication: https://www.politie.nl/nieuws/2022/september/15/ik-dacht-altijd-dat-een-drugshandelaar-veel-geld-had.html