Three Arrested in Netherlands for Antwerp Drug-Related Bombings

The events unfolded in two stages. First, on July 31, 2024, a house located on Jan Frans Gellyncklaan in Hove, known to belong to drug lord Zakaria "Piwi" El Kasmioui, was targeted. Then, on August 1, 2024 around 4 am, the facade of the "Full Body Performance" fitness and boxing center in Mortsel (Krijgsbaan) suffered significant damage following the detonation of an explosive. Video recordings of this incident show a masked individual placing the device three minutes before its detonation.

This week, a joint operation by Dutch police and the Federal Judicial Police of Antwerp led to the arrest of three men. The arrests took place on Tuesday during searches in Arnhem, Amersfoort, Bemmel, and Huissen. The suspects are Dutch nationals aged 20, 22, and 38.

During these searches, 39 pyrotechnic devices of the "Cobra" type, known to be heavily explosive, were seized by the authorities.

Following these developments, the Belgian justice system, through the Antwerp investigating judge overseeing the case, has officially requested the extradition of the three arrested suspects so that they can answer for the charges against them in Belgium.