WILLEMSTAD – Michelangelo “Lo” Martines will remain in pretrial detention as he awaits the substantive hearing of his criminal case. On Tuesday, the Court once again denied a request by his legal team for his release. Martines is suspected of large-scale drug trafficking and money laundering, allegedly involving the use of encrypted Sky ECC phones. 

According to the Public Prosecution Service, Martines played a coordinating role in two drug shipments totaling 120 kilograms of cocaine in late 2019. The first shipment, involving 20 kilograms, is believed to have been smuggled to Europe via Curaçao, Panama, the Netherlands, and Spain, hidden in suitcases aboard a commercial flight. A second shipment of 100 kilograms in February 2020 reportedly went through Belgium, also concealed in luggage with hidden compartments and coordinated using Sky ECC devices. 

In addition to drug trafficking, Martines is also under investigation for suspected money laundering. Prosecutors point to unusual financial transactions in his name ranging from €100,000 to €200,000. 

His attorneys, Eldon “Peppie” Sulvaran and Marije Vaders, requested his release pending further investigation. They argued that the prosecution deliberately emphasized incriminating material while ignoring potentially exculpatory evidence. 

The defense contended that none of the intercepted communications directly implicate Martines in the drug operations. They further argued that many of the phrases used were common expressions in Curaçao and not indicators of criminal conduct. They also raised the possibility of mistaken identity, suggesting that police wrongly associated Martines with another individual known as “Lo Mutueel.” 

However, Judge Bracht ruled that the suspicions against Martines are too serious to justify his release. The court did set a firm date for the substantive hearing of the case, which will take place on August 20 at 10:00 a.m.