Australia drug route: prosecutors seek nine years and seven months for father and son
Dutch prosecutors on 28 October sought nine years and seven months in prison for a father and son accused of leading an international MDMA network. The case includes around 700 kilograms intended for Australia. Three other men are also on trial.
Prosecutors allege that the 65-year-old father and his 43-year-old son led an organisation producing and selling drugs. The other defendants allegedly performed operational tasks, including transporting chemicals and drugs and managing a storage site.
Crimesite identifies the father as Paulie B. senior and reports that father and son used the aliases Mister Supertrooper and El Toro Negro. According to the report, the father denies involvement in ecstasy trafficking before contact with the undercover officers and argues that police induced him to take part. His son largely exercised his right to remain silent during the trial.
The investigation began in 2019 following information about production sites and an Australian drug route. During searches in November that year, police found MDMA and (meth)amphetamine at locations in Geertruidenberg and the Belgian towns of Opglabbeek and Maaseik. A firearm and ammunition were also found.
A central part concerns the handover of approximately 700 kilograms of MDMA in August 2019. Prosecutors say the defendants negotiated with Australian undercover officers posing as people able to arrange transport. The prosecution relies on recorded conversations, messages, camera footage, surveillance and, among other evidence, DNA on drug bags. EncroChat messages allegedly also support its account of the participants’ roles.
Prosecutors sought six years and four months, five years and four years for the other three men. They calculate the father and son’s benefit at more than €6.3 million and seek recovery of over €3.1 million from each.
