Netherlands Thailand asked explicitly for research into coffee farmer Van Laarhoven

Yes, he was surprised himself that the Thai police coffeeshop boss Johan van Laarhoven had thrown in jail. Well, he had sent a letter to Thailand in July 2014 whether they wanted to start a criminal investigation against the Dutchman. But he was then arrested, there could Prosecutor Lucas van Delft not do anything. "It was not the goal that Van Laarhoven would be sentenced in Thailand," he said.

The lawyers of Van Laarhoven could hear the officer yesterday. The preliminary examination of witnesses they are trying to collect evidence to prove that the Dutch state to the former hashish farmer from Tilburg framed. They have him bijgelapt express in Thailand. And that therefore there is a tort, which Van Laarhoven late last year received a sentence of 103 years in prison on his pants, which he must serve 20. He claimed the Thai justice millions of drug money laundered in their country.

His lawyers shaking their heads Wednesday in court in The Hague. "So, at your request Thailand starts an investigation, but as they then pick it up, you're not responsible?" Wants to know them. No, says Van Delft. "The responsibility lies with the Thai Public Prosecutor."

The responsibility lies with the Thai Public Prosecutor

Prosecutor Van Delft

laundering

Van Laarhoven was a successful hashish farmer who had earned under the name of The Grass Company millions with a number of legal coffee shops in Tilburg and Den Bosch.With the money he had earned in thirty years, he was in 2011 with his Thai woman in Thailand to enjoy his retirement.

In that year began a judicial investigation on suspicion of violation of the Opium Act, money laundering and forming a criminal organization. Thus often located much more soft drugs than allowed by law in the coffee shops of Van Laarhoven. He would have tampered with his finances. And justice suspected that Van Laarhoven with his drug money real estate and luxury goods bought in Thailand.

The interrogation of Van Delft gave a somewhat confused story. So the officer said he had put the emphasis on money laundering in the correspondence with the Thais, "because they are pretty strict in Thailand with drugs. He then said that Van Laarhoven, according to him anyway ran little risk in Thailand, "because there was no evidence that he acted in drugs from Thailand.

In June 2014 Van Delft sent a request for legal assistance to Thailand in the hope that they would seize the assets of Van Laarhoven. Because that does not really hurry up, he asked a month later - "after consultation with the Public Prosecutor and the Ministry of Justice" - or the Thai justice could begin its own investigation. "Then it would go a lot faster." What the Thais would then do exactly, Van Delft did not. "I had the idea that they understood what it was to us to do."

That turned out differently. Suddenly Van Laarhoven was arrested as the leader of an "international drug trafficking gang and convicted of laundering millions of drug money. "I was surprised that he was arrested." That had not been his intention, Van Delft said. And there was some contact with the Thai justice. "It was agreed that they would sue him for laundering only. Otherwise he might have gotten life. "

The coming months are still interrogated more stakeholders, including investigators concerned.

By Editorial Volkskrant: Photo: Reuters