The Dutch "Mocro-Mafia" engages in a combat against illegal substances in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Series of incidents, a deceased teenager, and captives enduring torment: North Rhine-Westphalia is facing a "fresh phase of organized crime." The "Micro-Mafia" seems to be the primary suspect, leaving a trail of bloodshed across the Netherlands for years.
The chaos resumed in Cologne. On a Monday morning, a mysterious figure casually places a blue bag near a nightclub entrance, lights it on fire, and escapes. The bomb detonates, shattering the windows. A cleaner unfortunately sustain injuries from the blast explosion. CCTV footage captured an individual suspected to be involved. Two days later, 350 meters away from the original crime scene, there's another explosion, this time in front of a clothing store. Firefighters were summoned to douse the flames igniting the window display.
Investigators caution it is premature to draw conclusions linking the incidences together. The culprits remain elusive. Nonetheless, criminologist Robin Hofmann asserts in an ntv interview, "This is just the typical Micro-Mafia method." The tactic is reminiscent of criminal activity in Dutch cities like Rotterdam and Amsterdam. It appears that the Micro-Mafia has actively been operating in North Rhine-Westphalia for several months. Similar explosions occurred in Düsseldorf, Duisburg, Engelskirchen, and in Cologne in June, July, and August prior.
The term "Micro-Mafia" is a collective reference to several criminal organizations operating in the Netherlands for years, regardless of losses. Dutch cities witness hundreds of such attacks, along with ATM explosions, kidnappings, and murders annually.
The principal business of the Micro-Mafia is drug trafficking, notably cannabis and cocaine. One might believe that this would be an industry favoring secrecy. Nevertheless, in the Netherlands, and at times in Belgium, it carries out its conflicts openly and with ferocity. This is evident in the death of Peter de Vries, a well-known crime journalist in the Netherlands with his own TV program. In July 2021, de Vries was strolling through Amsterdam city center when he was shot repeatedly. The court later deemed it an execution.
"A finely tuned assassination machine"
The assassination was likely orchestrated by Ridouan Taghi, the head of one of the most notorious cocaine cartels in the nation, who was on trial at the time. De Vries served as an advisor to the key witness in the trial, whose brother and lawyer were shot two years earlier. The Moroccan native Taghi, who was managing the business from the United Arab Emirates and later possibly from prison, was sentenced to life imprisonment in February. It was the largest trial against the Dutch drug mafia to date, labeled by the prosecution as a "finely tuned assassination machine." The verdict is yet to be finalized.
"This is a network of hardened criminals who have actually undermined democracy in the Netherlands, but also in Belgium," says Oliver Huth of the Bund Deutscher Kriminalbeamter NRW to ntv. "Micro" is a Dutch slang term for Moroccans and symbolizes various gangs that sometimes cooperate, sometimes compete. According to Dutch criminologist Professor Cyrille Fijnaut, the groups are not exclusively Moroccan, but "as diverse as the Dutch national football team," he informed dpa.
A common thread among the conflicts is the numerous disagreements among the groups. Based on Fijnaut's assessment, around 10 to 20 people are "eliminated" annually. Countless reports of horrors surfaced in the Dutch media, including car bombs, a decapitated head outside a shisha bar, and a dental chair transformed into a torture device. In 2022, the Micro-Mafia reportedly planned to kidnap the then 18-year-old Crown Princess Amalia.
Escalation between Micro-Mafia and Clan
Germany's security authorities are grappling with unprecedented challenges brought about by the cruel realities in the Netherlands. Cologne police reported a "new level of violence in organized crime," unseen in Germany before. Cologne's Public Prosecutor's Office speaks cautiously of a dispute "between two criminal groups." Drugs valued in millions were stolen. Several media outlets claim that the Micro-Mafia aims to intimidate an Arab clan from North Rhine-Westphalia after 300 kilograms of cannabis vanished from a concealed location in Cologne.
The feud reached its peak on July 5th. Within the basement of a Cologne-Rodenkirchen villa, a woman and a man allegedly were held captive and tormented. Videos procured by "Der Spiegel" depict the woman tied to a chair, with a naked, gagged man with a bloody head wound lying on the floor. According to the report, an interrogator questions about a cache, likely a drug hoard, before striking with a long object.
The abductees were previously captured in Bochum. The SEK intervened, rescued them, and apprehended six suspects. "It was one of the most intricate operations in a considerable time," the police affirmed. Meanwhile, the mysterious death of a 17-year-old Dutchman in Solingen at the beginning of July remains unsolved. He accidentally dropped a bottle containing a liquid on the sidewalk, resulting in an explosion that killed the teenager and injured four others. Investigators are examining a possible link to the Micro-Mafia, possibly a botched planned attack.
It's unsure if the drug squabble is connected to the recent blasts in Cologne. "We can't affirm if this has anything to do with the tranquilizer compound composite that might've triggered earlier blasts," shared senior public prosecutor Ulrich Bremer to "Der Spiegel".
Rebuttal of Marijuana Decriminalization
There's debate whether Germany's "Micro-Mafia" activities are linked to recent marijuana decriminalization. "The illegal market is thriving, it now fulfills the legal demand. There's no legal supply," states Oliver Huth from the Bund Deutscher Kriminalbeamter to dpa. "We on the ground have always suggested: Go to Holland, see who you're dealing with. And if you believe you can beat them with decriminalization, then we wish you luck." However, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach denies a connection. "People will be able to fulfill their demand legally through a cultivation association, they don't need to purchase from a 'Micro-clan'", the minister said.
The Dutch predicament worsening, according to legal scholar Fijnaut, is due to the Dutch police not coordinating their actions nationally. "You need a task force spanning regions - and that doesn't exist in the Netherlands yet." He recommends German security authorities to pursue the "Micro-Mafia" through the Federal Criminal Police Office - and not to delay. "In any case, one should not follow the Dutch example - it's not a good model."
The European Union has expressed concern over the escalating violence in North Rhine-Westphalia, particularly the link between organized crime and the Micro-Mafia. EU officials are closely monitoring the situation, worried about the potential spillover of criminal activities into other EU member states.
In response to the Micro-Mafia's increased aggression, Dutch authorities have strengthened their cooperation with their European counterparts to combat this transnational threat. This includes sharing intelligence, coordinating investigations, and implementing joint operations to disrupt the criminal network's activities and protect citizens.
