Dutch police have arrested 34 suspects following a drug-related shooting in a small town in the east of the country that left a security guard dead and two officers injured.
Jolanda Aalbers, the regional police chief, told reporters on Tuesday that a "large group" of masked individuals opened fire at 4 a.m. (02:00 GMT) when officers arrived at a house in Overasselt, a village near the German border, to investigate reports of suspicious activity.
During the gunfight, a 51-year-old security guard was killed while two officers at the scene were injured but not in life-threatening condition, Aalbers said.
"When the first police unit arrived at the scene, they were fired upon immediately," the chief said. "This is an extremely tragic incident. They had to rescue their colleagues and bring them to safety. I have great admiration for what they did."
Aalbers added that several weapons, data storage devices, and vehicles were seized at the scene.
Among those arrested are suspects from the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and Algeria, according to regional prosecutors.
They said there are indications the shooting is linked to a "long-running" conflict, as the same house was hit by dozens of bullets in an incident last year. Two people were convicted in that case.
Local media linked the incident to the criminal underworld of Dutch drug lord Jos Leijdekkers, also known as "Bolle Jos" (Fat Jos). One of the Netherlands' most wanted criminals, he has been convicted for his role in an international cocaine trafficking network.
Dutch Minister of Justice and Security David van Weel said police "acted swiftly in response to the life-threatening situation in Overasselt, involving an unprecedented number of individuals."
In a post on X, he noted that 34 arrests had been made and said "the investigation is ongoing," while condemning the "horrific violence."
