KRALENDIJK – On February 7, a customs officer was arrested on suspicion of official corruption. He was released on February 16 pending further investigation.

Indeed, the investigation up to that point had not confirmed the suspicion ofcorruption. The investigation continued, particularly into the contents of the various data carriers seized during the search on February 7, 2022.

Meanwhile, the investigation by the National Criminal Investigation Department has been completed. The file has been reviewed by the Public Prosecutor BES (OMBES). OMBES has now decided not to initiate further criminal proceedings against this civil servant and to dismiss the case.

No evidence

In the opinion of the OMBES, the investigation has not produced evidence of official corruption in the sense of the legal description “he who has accepted a gift or promise or service to do or refrain from doing something in violation of his duty as a (customs) civil servant”.

The officer and his employer have been informed of this dismissal.