The princess and heir to the Dutch crown, Amalia, was forced to abandon plans to live in student houses for security reasons, sparking new fears of organized crime in the Netherlands.
King Willem-Alexander and his wife Queen Maxima announced on Thursday – just a few weeks after the 18-year-old started classes at the University of Amsterdam – that Amalia must remain behind the palace walls.
Authorities have not confirmed details, but the move comes weeks after reports that Amalia and Prime Minister Mark Rutte were mentioned in communications from organized crime groups, raising fears that kidnappings were being planned.
Queen Máxima, a resident of Argentina, said the measure will have “enormous consequences” for her daughter. It came as a shock to a country where public figures move with great freedom and without special protection.
Security experts say this is a move that reinforces fears that the Netherlands is turning into a “narco-state” after a series of cases involving drug trafficking groups.
“What’s at stake is an 18-year-old girl who can’t have a normal college life because she’s apparently the target of the Mocro mafia.” Rick Evers, a Dutch reporter who specializes in real cases, told AFP.
The mocro-mafia is the term used to describe criminal gangs of Moroccan descent specializing in drug trafficking, mainly cocaine, and which have a strong identified presence in the Benelux. [Bélgica, Países Baixos e Luxemburgo]using the Iberian Peninsula as a smuggling route.
“Big consequences”
The heiress to the Dutch throne was captured radiantly through the lenses of photographers as she headed off to college last month, highlighting Amalia’s plans to move into college dorms.
But during a state visit to Sweden on Thursday, the kings of the Netherlands announced that Amalia had been forced to remain in the royal palace under strict security measures in The Hague after it was revealed that her name had been heard in intercepted communications from groups associated with the Mocro-Mocros. mafia.
When asked how Amalia adjusted to her new student life, Queen Máxima answered clearly with emotion: “You must have heard the news. She cannot live in Amsterdam and cannot really leave (the palace). This has enormous consequences in your life.” he complained.
Prime Minister Rutte – until recently often seen cycling in The Hague – described Amalia’s situation as “terrible and worrying”. “Everything is being done to keep the Crown Princess safe,” he said on Friday.
The Dutch Minister of Justice and Security, Dilan Yesilgoz-Zegerius, described organized crime as a “fundamental problem”, adding that his ministry “worked hard day and night to ensure security”.
In September, De Telegraaf, one of the country’s largest newspapers, reported that security around Amalia and Rutte had been tightened after their names appeared in organized crime reports, which could indicate plans for an attack or kidnapping.
At the same time, Dutch newspapers reported that reports of alleged ‘Mocro-mafia’ boss Ridouan Taghi, who is on trial after his gang emerged in connection with several high-profile murders in the country, have become tougher. Among them are prominent journalist Peter R. de Vries, who was shot dead in broad daylight on an Amsterdam street last year, and Derk Wiersum, the lawyer of a prosecution witness.
“Got out of hand”
The events have reinforced fears that Europe’s fifth largest economy is gradually leaning towards a narco-state, with criminals exploiting the country’s relaxed drug policy to transport large quantities of cocaine through Rotterdam’s largest port, Europe.
The threat surrounding the princess “is taken very seriously by the authorities”, says security expert Jelle van Buuren of Leiden University.
“It’s a very unusual and unusual situation,” journalist Rick Evers told AFP. “Organized crime is now a major problem that seems to be getting out of hand in the Netherlands.”
Source: DN
