28-year-old extradited after 4,000kg cocaine smuggling link to Overasselt attack
Jan G. was arrested in Germany on a Dutch request and is now in the Netherlands.
Jan G., the victim targeted in the Overasselt violence in September, has been extradited from Germany to the Netherlands, Dutch prosecutors said.
The 28-year-old from Gelderland is suspected in connection with an attempt to smuggle nearly 4,000 kilograms of cocaine into the country. French authorities intercepted the shipment at the port of Dunkirk on September 7 after a request from the Netherlands.
German police arrested G. on September 18 following the Dutch extradition request. Investigators say a group of armed men travelled to Overasselt during the evening of August 31 into September 1.
During the attack, the men fatally shot Berry Leenders, a 51-year-old security guard, in front of G.’s house. They also injured two officers. A threatening video published a few days after the incident showed people were searching for G.
Dutch and French police have information linking the intercepted cocaine shipment to the criminal organization of Jos Leijdekkers, known as Bolle Jos. Three suspected associates of Leijdekkers were arrested in Ghana over the shipment.
Investigators have not established any link between Leijdekkers and the Overasselt violence, and his lawyers deny he was involved. Over 30 men from various countries were arrested after the violent evening, and weapons were found in the nearby area days later. No one suspected of ordering the attack has been identified or arrested so far.
Some of the suspects reportedly said they were recruited through intermediaries or social media with promises of a lucrative job. Others claimed they did not know what the assignment involved, while some said they were threatened when they tried to back out.
A man from Dordrecht was arrested on September 4 and is also suspected of involvement in the drugs attempt. The pre-trial chamber ruled in late September that he would remain in custody for another 90 days.
G. has a criminal record involving drug production, including a four-year prison sentence for involvement in an MDMA laboratory discovered in Angeren in 2021. His parents also faced money-laundering allegations in a separate case, RTL Nieuws reported. Prosecutors say the investigation into the suspects’ roles is ongoing.
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Source:
NL Times