WILLEMSTAD - Dutch Customs reported intercepting a staggering 1,858 kilograms of narcotics originating from Curaçao in the year 2023. The enforcement efforts were not limited to ports but extended to Schiphol Airport, where both passenger and freight operations were targeted, including shipments through postal and courier services. 

Customs officials revealed that the year 2023 saw a notable surge in drug interceptions compared to the previous year, signaling an overall increase in illicit activities. Authorities attribute this rise to heightened scrutiny and, potentially, an uptick in drug production. 

Analyzing airport-specific data, Customs noted a substantial spike in the volume of narcotics intercepted in air freight, deviating from the relatively stable trend observed in passenger interceptions over the past five years. 

Since July, a liaison officer from the Dutch Customs has been actively engaged in Curaçao, intensifying collaborative efforts in the battle against drug smuggling. This strategic placement has facilitated regular information exchange between the liaison officer and the Customs' national tactical center. The primary objective of this liaison is to stimulate information flow on drug trafficking, fortifying the Customs' position with pertinent insights. However, Customs did not explicitly disclose the tangible outcomes of this enhanced collaboration. 

One of the noteworthy seizures took place in late June when 15 boxes, containing a substantial 458 kilograms of cocaine from Curaçao, were apprehended in the port of Rotterdam. These packages, concealed within a groupage container – a container amalgamating various smaller shipments – arrived from Curaçao, boasting an estimated street value of 34 million euros. In a separate incident in February, a sizable shipment of cocaine weighing 697 kilograms was discovered in a container loaded with batteries in the Rotterdam port; this shipment also originated from Curaçao. 

Customs officials underscored that such smuggling attempts, wherein multiple packages are covertly concealed within a container, are increasingly common. Referred to as a "rip-off," these tactics involve disguising cocaine among legitimate shipments. The largest rip-off operation in 2023 traced back to a shipment from Curaçao.