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Hague Court Sentences Rotterdam Man to Six Years for 1.1-Tonne Cocaine Import and Money Laundering

Prosecutors are seeking €20 million in alleged drug proceeds after EncroChat messages tied him to a mango shipment routed through Rotterdam.

Overview

  • He was found guilty of importing roughly 1,167–1,169 kilograms of cocaine concealed in a 2020 mango container and of laundering cash, but the court rejected allegations over a separate ~1,400-kilogram load and two property transactions.
  • Judges said EncroChat communications linked the handle “Uno Momento” to the defendant, corroborated by personal details and messages referencing collecting mangoes during the transport.
  • Police previously found more than €2 million in cash hidden under a fireplace at a partner’s home, and the court also connected him to intercepted money in the United Kingdom.
  • The six-year term is lower than the 9.5 years sought by prosecutors, with the court crediting about six months due to a five-year delay before trial.
  • He remains free after sentencing, and both sides have two weeks to file an appeal, as the prosecution separately pursues a €20 million recovery claim; in a related but distinct case, suspects tied to 400 kilograms of cocaine in tree trunks were released pending a trial expected in 2026.