WILLEMSTAD – The Court of First Instance in Curaçao has sentenced a man identified as J.T. to six years of unconditional imprisonment for drug trafficking and habitual money laundering in a major criminal investigation known as Girona. Two other defendants, identified as J.T-F. and company J., were also convicted of offenses connected to the case. The court additionally ordered the confiscation of nearly XCG 1 million in criminal proceeds.
The investigation, conducted by the Kingdom Cooperation Team (RST) under the authority of the Central Team of the Public Prosecutor's Office, focused on suspected drug trafficking, money laundering, and financial document forgery involving the defendants and their company.
According to the court's findings, J.T. was involved in drug trafficking activities that included 191 kilograms of cocaine. The court determined that he earned XCG 511,860 from these activities.
In addition to his six-year prison sentence, J.T. was ordered to pay the entire amount to the Country of Curaçao as confiscation of proceeds obtained through criminal activities.
The court also convicted J.T. and company J. of habitual money laundering over a period of nine years.
According to the judgment, J.T. laundered a total of XCG 453,474. The money was used for various purchases, including a vehicle, watches, and goods acquired for the company.
Company J., of which J.T. and J.T-F. were the sole shareholders and directors, was convicted of laundering XCG 285,875. This amount forms part of the XCG 453,474 attributed to J.T. and should not be considered an additional sum.
The company was fined XCG 100,000 for habitual money laundering and forgery.
J.T-F. was convicted of falsifying a financial document that was submitted to a bank to obtain a guarantee.
For this offense, the court imposed a six-month suspended prison sentence with a probationary period of two years, along with 120 hours of community service.
However, J.T-F. was acquitted of complicity in habitual money laundering.
The court also issued a separate confiscation order totaling XCG 453,474 against the three convicted parties.
Under this order, J.T., J.T-F., and company J. must each pay XCG 151,158 to the Country of Curaçao.
The decision was based on a financial assessment contained in a confiscation report, which established that the defendants had possessed substantial amounts of cash over several years that could not be explained by their legitimate income.
The court concluded that these unexplained funds must have originated from criminal activities.
Combined with the XCG 511,860 confiscation order imposed on J.T. for drug trafficking, the total amount ordered to be recovered from the defendants is XCG 965,334.
The confiscation orders are separate from the XCG 100,000 fine imposed on company J.
The Girona investigation was carried out by the RST under the authority of the Central Team of the Public Prosecutor's Office for Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba.
The Central Team specializes in combating corruption and organized crime that undermines public institutions and the legitimate economy.
Working closely with the RST, the team focuses primarily on complex criminal investigations involving financial and economic offenses.
The Girona case illustrates how investigations into drug trafficking can extend beyond the transportation and distribution of narcotics to include the financial structures used to conceal criminal proceeds.
Through its judgment, the court imposed prison and community service sentences, a substantial corporate fine, and confiscation measures aimed at recovering money determined to have originated from criminal activities.