THE HAGUE--Dutch caretaker Minister of Justice Ivo Opstelten is not planning on relaxing the 100-per-cent controls of flights that arrive at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport from the Dutch Caribbean.
The Minister stated this in response to written questions posed by Member of the Dutch Parliament's Second Chamber Cozkun Çörüz of the Christian Democratic Party CDA in April. Çörüz sought clarity after reports in the Dutch media that the 100-per-cent controls needed adaptation.
The media based the stories on a statement by the Solicitor General of the Supreme Court that the investigative methods used by Customs officials to question arriving passengers from the Dutch Caribbean and Suriname were against the law.
The investigative methods of the 100-per-cent controls ended up in the Supreme Court through a passenger from Suriname, who legally challenged the fine that he had received for disobeying orders, because he had refused to answer questions posed by Customs officers. Passengers from the islands and Suriname are often asked about the purpose of their visit and who paid for their ticket.
Opstelten assumes that the 100-per-cent controls can continue by basing them on the General Customs Law instead of on the Dutch Penal Code. Article 10 of the Customs Law states that passengers are obliged to provide information to Customs authorities. Refusing to give information to Customs officers is punishable based on that same law and as such is subject to a criminal sanction.
The Minister explained that there is more to the 100-per-cent controls than merely questioning passengers. He said that "other means of control and authorities" are deployed as well, aiming at the scanning and checking of luggage, the use of sniffer dogs and security cameras.
The 100-per-cent controls remain necessary, stated Opstelten in response to a question by Çörüz as to whether the controls were a must, considering the numerous "bolita" swallowers and drug couriers arrested at Schiphol every week.
The Supreme Court decides on June 19 whether it will follow the view of the Solicitor General. At that time the Supreme Court will also share its reflections on the legal basis of the 100-per-cent controls.
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