© Maxim Hopman via Unsplash
Following an investigation by Sexual Offenses Team and the Rotterdam Regional Criminal Investigation Department, searches were conducted on Wednesday and Thursday at eight locations in the Netherlands in connection with a network of men who drugged women for sexual abuse.
The investigation was launched based on information from government agencies in Germany and England, the Dutch police reported on its website. "Information shows that possibly several women in the Netherlands were drugged by someone from their immediate surroundings. Subsequently, sexual acts were performed on the victims while they were filmed."
"In closed social media groups the suspects engaged in, information was shared and tips were given on how best to drug victims. Images of the abuse were also exchanged," the statement continued.
Detectives from the Rotterdam police were able to identify eight suspects, men aged 21 to 51, from Rotterdam, Sassenheim, Hilversum, Veldhoven, Sint Willebrord, Amstelveen, the municipality of Hulst and municipality of Horst aan de Maas.
Four men were arrested. During searches, data carriers, narcotics and weapons were seized. More arrests are not ruled out.
Additional investigation should now shed more light on the number of victims. According to Milou van der Kolk of Rotterdam's Sexual Offenses Team, this is "a case with a huge impact. As a victim, you may not know what happened to you, because you may have been drugged and were unconscious."
In collaboration with the Sexual Violence Center (CSG) and Safe Home, Slachtofferhulp Nederland has a team ready to provide immediate support to victims.
Illustration picture: © Maxim Hopman via Unsplash