Home / Series / DW Documentaries / Aired Order / Season 2026 / Episode 71

Europe's drug mafia (2/2) - The weakness of states

In Rotterdam, local street gangs join forces with Colombians to build their empire. Driven by raging demand, the cocaine trade has triggered an unprecedented wave of violence. The second part of this documentary begins in Europe, in the 2000s. It traces the rise of major criminals who came to the Netherlands as immigrants. These include Gwenette Martha and Ridouan Taghi, who became the main contacts for South American cocaine dealers. To defend the bosses' interests, their organization practiced unprecedented violence. Murders of lawyers and journalists, acts of retaliation with military weapons, and threats against the royal family shook the country. Some surviving drug dealers ended up in Dubai, the trading paradise of the Middle East. From here, they continued their business via encrypted communication platforms.

English
  • Originally Aired May 21, 2026
  • Runtime 43 minutes
  • Network Deutsche Welle TV
  • Created October 10, 2026 by
    andresflower
  • Modified October 10, 2026 by
    andresflower