Dutch authorities close properties in Weert and Wassenaar due to drug activity

Dutch authorities have ordered the temporary closure of two separate properties following the discovery of illegal drug activities.

In Weert, Mayor Vlecken has closed a residence on Kesselstraat for six months after police discovered a large quantity of hard drugs, including amphetamine, as well as hemp and drug trafficking equipment. The closure was enacted under the Opium Act (Wet Damocles), which allows mayors to shut down properties used for criminal activities, even if the landlord is not directly involved in the crimes.

In Wassenaar, Mayor Leendert de Lange has ordered a three-month closure of a home on Zanderijlaan after police uncovered a professional large-scale hemp cultivation site in the basement. The facility contained 526 plants and featured sophisticated lighting, irrigation, and ventilation systems. Investigators found that water and electricity connections had been manipulated to support the operation. The landlord has since terminated the tenant's lease, and criminal investigations are ongoing.