BANTER BAN | 

Dutch criminal pal of Christy ‘Dapper Don’ Kinahan, Mink Kok, hit with prison gag order

The Amsterdam criminal is currently detained on suspicion of cocaine trafficking in the detention centre in Nieuwegein

Yesterday at 18:20

The Dutch criminal pal of Christy ‘Dapper Don’ Kinahan, Mink Kok, has been hit with a gag order that bans him from speaking to the media.

The convicted drug trafficker and gun runner, one of the most infamous gangland criminals in Dutch history, is not allowed to speak about the infamous IRT affair for six months

The Amsterdam criminal is currently detained on suspicion of cocaine trafficking in the detention centre in Nieuwegein.

During the 90s, he struck up a close working relationship with Christy Kinahan Snr when they were both based in Amsterdam.

It is believed the pair worked together to import millions of euro worth of cocaine and ecstasy into Ireland and the UK.

The gag order was imposed by prison management after a request for Kok to participate in an Amazon Prime documentary about the IRT affair.

A Dutch police intelligence unit, known as the Interregional Recherche Team (IRT), was broken up last year after illegal drugs worth tens of millions of pounds were exported to Britain by a gang they were investigating.

The drugs, including two lorryloads of ecstasy pills and amphetamines, plus bales of high-grade Colombian cannabis, were taken across the Channel on commercial ferries.

The allegations are contained in a book, Operation Delta, published by an investigative journalist with the Dutch newspaper Het Parool.

The gag order was ordered after contact was made between Mink Kok and the crime journalist Vico Olling who wanted to interview the Amsterdam crime boss for a documentary about the IRT affair.

“The IRT affair is a scandal that took place in the 1990s,” crimesite.nl reports. “Police forces argued over the use of a civilian infiltrator who worked with (Kok’s) criminal organisation.

Olling spoke about the documentary and its creation in the podcast De Nieuwe Willem.

“After a preparatory telephone conversation with Kok and a visit to the penitentiary in Nieuwegein van Olling, Kok had decided to cooperate,” crimesite.nl adds.

“In the meantime, the Nieuwegein prison had learned of Mink Kok’s intention, probably because his conversations were being tapped.

“Talks then followed between prison management with Kok and journalist Olling. They were informed that if interviews are done within the prison, this would have to be approved by the management.”

Kok submitted a request to the management suggesting three possible ways in which the interview could take place. The preference was to interview Kok in front of the camera.

An audio conversation was proposed as a second option and if that did not work, an exchange of letters could also take place, but all requests were rejected.

The management has written a letter to Kok in which is claimed they wrote: “Due to the size of your previous case and your pre-trial detention, inquiries have been made with various sources.

“A weighing of interests then took place, in which the management of the PI Nieuwegein unfortunately decided negatively on this request.”

Mark Teurlings, Mink Kok’s lawyer has a been quoted as saying they were “surprised by this decision:.

“We don’t like conspiracy theories and like to stick to the facts.

about:blank

“But it is remarkable to say the least, that he is now not allowed to talk about things from 30 years ago, that they forgot to pick him up at his last pre-trial session, that strongly exculpatory documents are withheld from the file, that the start of the investigation is not right and that the court does not want to do anything with all this yet.”

Teurlings says he has not objected to the prison’s decision so as not to divert attention from the handling of Kok’s case that will be heard on June 13.