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Containers used as torture chambers: Eleven men sentenced to up to nine years in prison
Photo: -/ dpa
Because they run their own prison with a torture chamber in shipping containers, eleven men have been sentenced to prison terms of up to nine years in the Netherlands.
The Amsterdam District Court stated that all of the defendants "collaborated in a plan to kidnap, extort, torture and kill criminal opponents or their relatives".
Police discovered seven shipping containers in a forest in the south of the country nearly two years ago after security agencies hacked the Encrochat encrypted cellphone communications network used by criminals.
Judges later ruled that the evidence secured in this way would stand up in court.
Container with saw, scalpels and pliers
The men had formed a group to fight for money in the criminal scene and planned to "take the law into their own hands," the court said.
Her lack of respect for the personal freedom and integrity of others was "shocking," the judges said.
During a raid, police officers found a container equipped with a dentist's chair and tools such as secateurs, a saw, scalpels and pliers.
Six other shipping containers turned out to be prison cells.
Dutch media identified the main suspect as Roger P., 50 years old, also known in the underworld as "Piet Costa" - presumably because of frequent trips to Costa Rica.
Costa, who was sentenced to 15 years in prison for cocaine smuggling last month, has now been sentenced to an additional 33 months in prison.
His right-hand man, a 40-year-old defendant, was sentenced to eight years in prison, nine others also received prison terms, and one man was acquitted.
Messages sent via EncroChat included, "We need enough belts and zip ties to tie them up" and "We need pliers for fingers and toes."
According to the authorities, suspected criminals from the field of organized crime communicated across Europe via the Encrochat network.
kfr/AFP
