Sint Maarten: 20 kilos of cocaine seized and two suspects arrested in the Netherlands

On 18 April, Sint Maarten customs officials seized 20 kg of cocaine whilst inspecting a container ship in transit at the island’s port. The drugs were concealed in a sports bag inside an apparently empty container bound for the Netherlands. Following this discovery, the Sint Maarten Public Prosecutor’s Office authorised the use of special investigative measures and asked the Dutch authorities to continue the investigation. The vessel arrived in the Netherlands on 5 May, where it was inspected by the Dutch authorities as part of the investigation. These investigations led to the arrest of two suspects on Dutch territory, suspected of being involved in the importation of narcotics. The seized cocaine was destroyed.