Tongeren (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The Dutch defendant escaped prosecution for attempted manslaughter charges following his involvement with a so-called rip deal that involved robbers stealing cash and drugs. He received a two-year prison term and paid a fine of 12,000 euros after his involvement with the drug robbery scheme.
A Dutch man involved in a rip deal involving the theft of both money and drugs received a two-year prison sentence and paid a €12000 fine while being freed from attempted manslaughter charges. Gunfire broke out in October 2022 at Nieuwstraat’s rented apartment, where the drug deal took place in Tongeren, Belgium.
Partners of the Dutchman investigated the crime scene and found bullet shells together with bloody footprints while uncovering 1.1 kilograms of cocaine and 25 drug packages containing ordinary table sugar in the kitchen.
The deal collapsed after the buyers suspected a scam, which resulted in one member firing at the Colombian seller. The shooting incident happened without anyone immediately being discovered as a casualty. Police checked all locations, including Tongeren, Liège, Maastricht, Hasselt, and Genk, but could not find anyone who had suffered from a gunshot wound. A wounded man underwent medical treatment in Amiens medical facilities before disappearing following surgery, during which doctors removed the bullet fragments.
Law enforcement attempted to question this individual but failed to maintain his location since he vanished from sight before eventually getting arrested in Spain. The court handed down a two-year term to the attacker, although the prosecutor asked for eight years.
What is the history behind Rip deals and drug-related violence in Europe?
Rip deals continue to pose a substantial threat in European markets because thieves commit these crimes by simultaneously robbing cash and drugs from transactions. Europol reports cocaine trafficking maintains its role as a primary factor behind drug-related crime growth, which includes the rising rip deal incidents.
Cocaine trafficking through Antwerp has turned Belgium into a prominent cocaine smuggling centre after authorities seized 116 tons in 2022. The Dutch and German border area town of Tongeren functions as part of this drug trafficking network because it serves as a transport location.
Harmful substitutions of cocaine with fake drugs like sugar or flour frequently spark violent conflicts between dealers and customers.
The success of resolving this crime demonstrated how cross-border collaboration between law enforcement agencies, including Belgian, French, and Spanish institutions, helps fight complex criminal operations.
