Police arrest 34 after deadly gang shootout in eastern Netherlands

Several overseas suspects were among those arrested, according to prosecutors.

Dutch constabulary person arrested ⁠34 ⁠suspects aft a drug-related shooting successful a tiny municipality successful the eastbound of the state that near a information defender dormant and 2 constabulary officers injured.

Jolanda Aalbers, caput of the determination police, told reporters connected Tuesday that a “large group” of masked men had opened occurrence astatine 4am (02:00GMT) erstwhile constabulary arrived astatine a location successful Overasselt, a colony adjacent the German border, to analyse reports of suspicious activity.

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During the shootout, a 51-year-old information defender was killed portion 2 of the officers arriving astatine the country sustained injuries that were not life-threatening, Aalbers said.

“When the archetypal constabulary portion arrived astatine the scene, shots were fired immediately,” the constabulary main said. “That was an incredibly traumatic incident. They had to rescue their colleagues and get them to safety. I person tremendous respect for what they did.”

Aalbers added that respective weapons, information retention devices, and vehicles were seized astatine the scene.

Among those arrested ⁠were suspects from the ⁠Netherlands, Belgium, France, and Algeria, according to determination prosecutors.

They said that determination were indications the shooting was connected to a “long-running” conflict, arsenic the aforesaid location had ⁠been changeable a twelve times successful a azygous incidental past ⁠year. Two radical were convicted successful that incident.

Local media linked the incidental to the transgression underworld of Dutch cause lord Jos Leijdekkers, besides known arsenic “Bolle Jos” (“Fat Jos”). One of the Netherlands’ astir wanted criminals, helium was antecedently convicted for his relation successful international cocaine trafficking.

Dutch Minister of Justice and Security David van Weel said that constabulary “acted swiftly successful effect to the life-threatening concern successful Overasselt, which progressive an unprecedented fig of people”.

In a post connected X, helium noted that 34 arrests had been made and said “the probe is inactive ongoing” portion condemning the “horrific enactment of violence”.