Tonnes of illegal drugs found hidden in mobile crane

The used five axle wheeled mobile telescopic crane pictured with the drugs. Photo: Seaport police / District Court of Zeeland-West-Brabant

A mobile crane containing 3 tonnes of illegal drugs was intercepted by Dutch seaport police in the port of Moerdijk, Netherlands, on 28 June.

The used five axle wheeled mobile crane, which looks like a Liebherr LTM 1160 from the 1990s, was being imported from South America, having arrived initially in the Port of Antwerp.

Zeeland-West Brabant Seaport Police found the cocaine, worth €220 million, in the crane in the port area of Moerdijk. Three suspects, including the company owner, were arrested.

The Dutch Public Prosecutions Service (DPPS) said the police began investigating the firm’s activities “after several suspicious situations were observed at the company.”

The company is an importer of heavy equipment from South America to the Netherlands. This large telescopic crane arrived in Moerdijk from Antwerp, Belgium, on Friday 28 June and the police launched the raid.

3 tonnes of cocaine

Working with Customs, the Seaport Police found around 3,000 kg of cocaine in the crane in small packages. They seized the crane and took it away for further investigation.

In the building during the raid the police arrested a 64-year-old man from Oosterhout, a 43-year-old man from Westmaas and a 32-year-old Cambodian man.

Police searched two business premises in the port area, a house in Oosterhout and a house in Westmaas. Items found included a firearm and ammunition and more than €20,000 in cash.