WILLEMSTAD – The Public Prosecution Service in the Netherlands has identified 39-year-old Raily Bart as a key figure in the criminal organization behind the 2021 murder of prominent Dutch crime journalist Peter R. de Vries. Bart, who was arrested in April on Curaçao, is accused of coordinating logistical and financial support for the group—from inside prison. 

According to the prosecution, Bart was the leader of the Caribbean-Dutch branch of the organization involved in the killing. De Vries was shot on July 6, 2021, in downtown Amsterdam and died nine days later from his injuries. 

Financial Coordination from Behind Bars 

Despite being incarcerated since 2014 at SDKK prison in Curaçao for his role in a deadly airport shooting at Hato, Bart allegedly managed payments to accomplices involved in the De Vries case. These payments included covering hotel costs for surveillance operations, fuel money, and even a €375 parking fine after the suspects' car was towed in Amsterdam. 

Authorities revealed that Bart used a hidden mobile phone in his prison cell to communicate with the network. During his arrest on April 14, he attempted to flush the device down the toilet. The phone was retrieved but has not yet been unlocked. 

Criminal Network and Drug Money 

The prosecution says that Bart coordinated payments through a web of Dutch bank accounts held in the names of various women. These intermediaries reportedly retained small amounts for their role in forwarding the funds. Some of the money is suspected to have originated from drug trafficking operations and was funneled back to Curaçao through these accounts. 

There is speculation that Bart was in contact with higher-ranking individuals who instructed him to play a part in the planning of the journalist’s assassination. “That part of the investigation still has a blind spot,” said the lead prosecutor. 

Connection to No Limit Soldiers 

Bart is believed to be affiliated with the No Limit Soldiers (NLS)—a notorious criminal organization operating across Curaçao, Sint Maarten, the Dominican Republic, and the Netherlands. He has since been transferred to the Extra Secure Institution (EBI) in Vught, the Netherlands, where several other NLS members are being held. 

His defense attorney has contested the allegations, arguing that the evidence does not support claims that Bart played a leadership role in the assassination. The defense is seeking his release. 

Meanwhile, the appeals trial for nine co-defendants in the De Vries case is ongoing. Six of them were handed lengthy prison sentences last year for their roles in the murder. 

The case has shocked the Netherlands and drawn international attention due to Peter R. de Vries’s work as an investigative journalist and advocate for victims of organized crime.