Costa drug case: Limburg leaders present, no trace of Kempen key figure (Maasmechelen)

Tom B., the businessman from Kasterlee, is currently on the run from the police and justice. De Kempenaar is one of the main suspects in the Costa drug case, a gigantic file involving at least 27 tons of imported cocaine.

However, 17 of the 57 suspected persons were present. They are suspected of, among other things, the import and trade of coke, membership of a criminal organization and money laundering. The Italian Maasmechelaar Lucio Aquino came alone, assisted by his lawyer Hugo Vandenberghe.

Suspect Ibrahim O., Aquino’s right-hand man, also went to Tongeren. Geert Frisson, vice president of the Bandidos and criminal leader of one of the four gangs on trial, was there with his partner and stepson, both of whom are also on trial in this case. His cousin and fellow Bandido Roger P. from Landen accompanied them.

Speaking of cousins: Oliverio D., who has to say uncle to Lucio Aquino, was not there. He is suspected of having been Lucio’s sergeant and the man who managed matters in the field during Lucio’s stay in prison. But Oliverio D. is currently in an Italian cell. He was surrendered because the Italians want to prosecute him in the gigantic mafia investigation Eureka.

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In that file, conducted in collaboration with the FGP Limburg, hundreds of searches were carried out last year, spread across Europe. Several Limburg suspects, all with Italian roots, were then arrested and a number of them were also surrendered.

The federal public prosecutor’s office says it has tried to temporarily extradite him to Belgium for this drug case. But because the introductory session in Italy is scheduled for Friday, Italy may not have responded to that question. His lawyer Frank Scheerlinck expressed his wish and urged that he be in Belgium for Costa’s treatment. A decision to hear the case had not yet been made on Thursday.

The matter has been taken into consideration and more clarity will follow on April 11.