The Guardian

Netherlands becoming a narco-state, warn Dutch police

Officers say many victims do not report incidents and organised gangs have a free rein
Most of the ecstasy taken in Europe and the US comes from Dutch laboratories. Photograph: Portokalis/Getty Images/iStockphoto

The Netherlands is starting to resemble a narco-state with the police unable to combat the emergence of a parallel criminal economy, a report from the Dutch police association has warned.

Official figures suggest crime is on a downward trend but officers say many victims have stopped reporting incidents while organised crime syndicates have been given a free rein.

“Only one in nine criminal groups can

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