THE HAGUE, BOGOTA - The Netherlands and Colombia will collaborate much more intensively to track down and extradite drug criminals. The two countries are working on a treaty to achieve this, Justice Minister Dilan Yesilgöz-Zegerius told the Telegraaf. 

“This is not only a very big step but also a necessary one,” Yesilgöz-Zegerius said. Many cocaine transports leave from Colombia to the Netherlands. 

After over a year of negotiations, the Netherlands and Colombia have concluded an extradition treaty. They’re also working on a legal assistance treaty to make joint investigations easier. “Both countries will, therefore, be able to respond more quickly to each other’s requests,” Yesilgöz-Zegerius said. “For example, when it comes to criminal prosecution and hearing witnesses and victims. This can destroy revenue models.” 

The Netherlands is still a key player in the international drug trade, with a large part of the cocaine trafficked in Europe entering through the port of Rotterdam and other Dutch ports. Yesilgöz-Zegerius also wants to make similar deals with other Latin American countries, like Peru and Ecuador. She is also working with other Western European countries to increase the security at ports and other import points.