Expatica news

Dutch news in brief, 17 September 2004

Dutch cop US drugs criticism

The US has again criticised Dutch drug policy, claiming the Netherlands’ tolerant policies make drug smuggling easier. In its annual report to Congress on the drug trade, the White House also said the Netherlands is not doing enough to fight the laundering of drug money, Radio Netherlands reported. President George Bush raised concern about production of party drugs in the Netherlands, expressing frustration also at “judicial obstacles and non-cooperation with extradition requests”.

Gas bills to cost EUR 100 more

Households will be confronted with more expensive gas bills next year, energy company Essent said. It blamed the higher costs on the global price of gas and oil. A company spokesman said Essent succeeded in keeping the price of gas stable this year, but that would change next year, newspaper De Telegraaf reported. Prices could rise by one or two percent or even as much as 10 percent, as energy company Nuon expects. Consumer watchdog Consumentenbond said on average, gas bills will rise by about EUR 100 next year due to oil prices, the abolition of a deduction the Gasunie awards to consumers and an increase in energy tax. The higher prices are not the result of the recent liberalisation of the energy market.

Drug trade a good earner for Antilleans

A total of EUR 170 million in “dubious” money was transferred from the Netherlands to bank accounts in the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba in 2002 and 2003, Rotterdam police said Friday. Almost 50 percent of the funds originated from Antilleans living in Rotterdam. Most Antilleans in the port city are living on social security benefits and police allege the funds are the proceeds of the drugs trade. Police have studied 45,000 bank transactions of more than EUR 2,000 and dozens of people have been arrested. Police estimate that in total, EUR 100 million in illegal money is transferred to the Antilles and Aruba each year.

Sex entrepreneur wins and loses

Haarlemmermeer Municipal Council has lodged a criminal complaint against sex entrepreneur Rinus Beusenberg from Cruquius. The council has accused him of committing slander and libel in claiming that one of the city’s public servants is guilty of corruption and fraud. Beusenberg claims the council has worked against his plans to build a large sex centre in Haarlemmermeer for years and that the public servant involved played a dubious role. But a council investigation has cleared the public servant of any wrong doing and Haarlemmermeer is demanding that the sex entrepreneur withdraw his allegations. Beusenberg has rejected the demand. Meanwhile, the council agreed this week to co-operate with Beusenberg on his plan to build a large sex centre along the restaurant built over the A4 motorway. The sex centre will be 12,000sq m and Beusenberg has fought for years to establish his business on his own land at that same site.

[Copyright Expatica News 2004]

Subject: Dutch news