Europol: Colombian arrested for the Netherlands involved in record crystal meth capture
July 20, 2023

The Colombian Jean Paul Hoyos Bohórquez (alias “Sodapuppy”, 43) who was arrested in Colombia on Tuesday at the request of the Netherlands is linked by the Dutch Public Prosecution Service to the seizure of 2.5 tons of methamphetamine in 2019 in Rotterdam. Authorities in four countries have worked together to catch him. His arrest was a top priority for the international investigation services, because he is seen as a key figure in the operations of Mexican cartels in the Netherlands and Europe.

Hoyos is said to have coordinated cocaine and methamphetamine production in the Netherlands in the service of Mexican drug cartels. He is also associated with the importation of large amounts of cocaine and several drug labs in the Netherlands. The 43-year-old man is now detained awaiting his extradition to the Netherlands. He is also suspected of laundering large amounts of money. A total of 20 million euros has been linked to him from the Netherlands to Mexico and Colombia.

In the course of the investigation, several drug labs have been dismantled in Europe and more than 50 suspects have been arrested. Colombia had sent three detectives to Europol headquarters to work on this case with Europol and their counterparts in the EU Member States.

The 2.5 tons of crystal meth was found after a raid on the Schiebroek business park in Rotterdam. The stash was behind a double wall in a hidden room, it is the largest ever catch in Europe.

This is an international study in which a location in De Meern also came into the picture. More than 17,000 liters of chemicals were seized there. Police believe they should have been used to make cocaine from cocaine paste.