Police Arrest 34 Suspects After Gang-Related Shooting in Eastern Netherlands

Dutch police have arrested 34 suspects following a drug-related shooting in Overasselt, a village in the eastern Netherlands, which resulted in the death of a security guard and injuries to two police officers. Jolanda Aalbers, head of the regional police, stated that a large group of masked individuals opened fire at approximately 4 a.m. local time when police arrived to investigate reports of suspicious activity. The deceased security guard was 51 years old, and the injuries sustained by the officers were not life-threatening. Aalbers described the incident as traumatic for the responding officers, who had to rescue their colleagues. Several weapons, data storage devices, and vehicles were confiscated at the scene. Among those arrested were suspects from the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and Algeria. Prosecutors indicated that the shooting may be linked to a long-standing conflict, noting that the same house had been fired upon multiple times in a previous incident last year, which resulted in two convictions. Local media have connected the incident to the criminal activities of Dutch drug lord Jos Leijdekkers, known as 'Bolle Jos', who has a history of international cocaine trafficking. Dutch Minister of Justice and Security David van Weel commended the police for their swift response to the situation and confirmed that the investigation is ongoing.