Violence in Gangsterdam: How security fears for Dutch PM revealed power of Netherlands’ drug gangs

The Netherlands has a drug and crime issue, with research showing 80,000 lines of coke are snorted each day in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, reports Leo Cendrowicz

Tributes for slain Dutch crime reporter Peter R de Vries (AP)

Over the past 11 years that he has been prime minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte has been a familiar sight in the streets of The Hague, cheerfully cycling to his office without any visible security presence.

But this week Dutch police moved to change that, stepping up his security detail. There was no formal explanation for the new measures, but behind the scenes, officials explained why Mr Rutte needed the protection: the country’s increasingly bold drug gangs were plotting to kidnap him.

The rise of violent and powerful drug gangs in the Netherlands has been fast and shocking.