Wilrijk –
One of the suspects who were arrested last week with almost six tons of cocaine in a warehouse in Wilrijk is a player from the national rugby team. He remains in prison, like the eleven other suspects. They all remain tight-lipped.
The council chamber in Antwerp confirmed on Tuesday the arrest of the eleven men who were arrested last Wednesday in a warehouse in Terbekehofdreef in Wilrijk. They will remain in jail for at least another month.
READ ALSO. Images show how police grind their way into the warehouse: 5 to 6 tons of cocaine seized
Assisted by the special units, investigators from the Antwerp Federal Judicial Police raided the warehouse last week. The police had information that a large batch of cocaine was located there. That information turned out to be correct: there was a huge load of cocaine on the floor in the warehouse.
A day later, the public prosecutor’s office announced that a total of 5,922 kilograms of cocaine had been seized. There were also a few weapons in the warehouse. (Read more below the photo)
The ‘loot’ in the warehouse in Wilrijk. — © fgp
In the warehouse, investigators arrested eleven men, all between 24 and 60 years old. This included Jan D., a man in his sixties who arrived in a van, probably to transport (part of) the cocaine.
One of the other men in the warehouse was Chris B., a 27-year-old imposing rugby player. B. plays for a team in the second highest division of rugby-crazy France and was also selected for the last matches of the national team. His lawyer, master Rutger Verelst, does not want to comment on the presence of the rugby player in the warehouse.
Alessandro P.’s lawyer, Master Xavier Potvin, also does not want to say anything. 26-year-old P. is the manager of the moving company that rented the warehouse where the cocaine was stored. According to our information, the suspects are temporarily invoking their right to remain silent.(sare)