Martin Kok
Martin Kok | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | June 25, 1967 Edam, Netherlands |
| Died | December 8, 2016 (aged 49) Laren, Netherlands |
| Known for | cocaine dealing, murder, blogging |
Martin Kok (25 June 1967 – 8 December 2016) was a Dutch criminal turned blogger.[1]
Early life[]
He grew up in Volendam and as a teenager sold eels along with his father and brother, dressed in traditional garb.[1] He didn't enjoy it, but started selling eels in bars frequented by criminals and then moved into cocaine dealing.[1] He was nicknamed "the Stutterer".[1]
Criminal career[]
In 1988 he shot at and missed a former schoolmate who had cut into his business.[1] Several months later he fought with a rival, hitting him with a barstool.[1] The rival died of his injuries the following day and Kok was sentenced to five years in prison.[1] During this imprisonment he befriended Willem Holleeder, who was in prison for the kidnapping of Freddy Heineken.[1] He also befriended Cor van Hout, an accomplice of Holleeder in the kidnapping.[1]
On release from prison he murdered the boyfriend of a former partner.[1] He also expanded his business into prostitution.[1]
Blogging[]
He started a crime blog called Vlinderscrime (a play on the Dutch word for butterflies) in February 2015.[1] He had many contacts in the criminal world, both in and outside of jail.[1] He reported on criminals from many backgrounds, often giving full names, instead of the Dutch media tradition of given name and initial.[1]
He enjoyed his newfound fame and would often taunt other criminals.[1]
Attempts on life[]
Someone tried to shoot him while he was at home in 2015 but failed, leaving bullet holes in his car.[1] In 2016 an explosive device was found under his car.[1]
Murder[]
On 8 December 2016 he was walking with another man in Amsterdam when CCTV showed someone running up behind him outside the Citizen M hotel and pointing a gun at him.[1][2] It is not clear if the gun jammed or if the shooter lost nerve.[1] The target seemed to be unaware of the attempt on his life.[1] Later that evening, outside a sex club in Laren, a second attempt was made, which succeeded.[1][3][2]
He was buried in Vredenhof Cemetery.[1]
Aftermath[]
The murder was linked to a Scottish criminal organisation by Scottish police who had investigated them via operate Escalade.[2]
A European Arrest Warrant was issued for Christoper Hughes in relation to the murder.[4] He was faced with charges of concealing money and supplying encrypted devices to others (including Kok), a second charge relating to the supply of cocaine and a final charge in relation to the murder of Kok.[3] He has denied the charges.[3]
See also[]
- Marengo process
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Barnes, David (2018-02-08). "The Strange Life of a Murderer Turned Crime Blogger". Wired. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Silvester, Norman (26 August 2018). "Notorious Scots crime gang linked to brutal gun murder at Dutch sex club". Daily Record. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "Man denies role in sex club murder of Dutch crime writer". BBC News. 7 April 2021. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
- ^ "Glasgow man in court after murder of Dutch crime writer". BBC News. 12 June 2020. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
- 1967 births
- 2016 deaths
- Dutch murderers
- Dutch drug traffickers
- Dutch bloggers
- Prisoners and detainees of the Netherlands
- Dutch prisoners and detainees
- Dutch murder victims
- Dutch gangsters
- Murdered gangsters
- Assassinated Dutch people
- Deaths by firearm in the Netherlands
- People murdered in the Netherlands
- People murdered by British organized crime