The attorney general revealed that an illegal online drug store is linked to at least 27 deaths.
Dutch authorities are investigating at least 27 deaths linked to drugs sold through the illegal online pharmacy funcaps.nl. Prosecutors warn that these deaths may represent the 'tip of the iceberg' as investigations continue in Zwolle.
During the summer, the police arrested three men from Limburg on charges of trafficking unlicensed drugs, including highly addictive medications intended for anxiety and severe sleep disorders. The Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) shut down the website funcaps.nl in August after discovering these illegal operations.
During the search of the homes and offices of the suspects, the police seized large quantities of drugs, bank accounts, cryptocurrency assets, vehicles, and luxury items. Investigations were launched after receiving a report from the Health and Youth Inspectorate, which revealed that some clients were 17 years old when they made their first order.
Among the victims is 19-year-old Luka Boom, who died after taking O-DSMT, a powerful designer drug he bought from funcaps.nl. His father, Marine, described the drug as being ten times stronger than tramadol and slowing down breathing, which ultimately led to Luka's death in his sleep. Marine hopes Luka's story will prevent other young people from making the same mistake.
Marin emphasizes that he does not seek to punish store owners, but he wants the community to be aware of the dangers of easy access to medications. He points out that while not all medications should be banned, awareness of their dangers is crucial, especially for teenagers who often underestimate the risks of seemingly harmless pills.