Netherlands to investigate deal between prosecutor and drug lord 15 years ago

Dutch lawmakers late Tuesday voted for the establishment of an independent commission to investigate a controversial settlement between the country's then chief prosecutor and a drug lord 15 years ago.

The proposal for the commission, made by Christian Union leader Arie Slob, got majority backing during a debate in Parliament. Prime Minister Mark Rutte and the ruling VVD-Labour Party coalition also endorsed the proposal.

According to Slob, there are too many questions about the background of the settlement, details, reasons and the information provided to Parliament.

Dutch Minister of Security and Justice Ivo Opstelten and his State Secretary of Justice Fred Teeven stepped down Monday over misinformation on a settlement with Cees H, a drug trafficker.

Opstelten and Teeven submitted their resignations hours after the Justice Ministry said it had found evidence of the exact amount paid to the trafficker at the time -- 4.7 million guilders (2.6 million U.S. dollars).

In exchange for information on an even bigger drug lord, Teeven, public prosecutor in 2000, paid back the money which has been seized as part of an investigation to Cees H via accounts to Luxembourg without notifying tax authorities.

Cees H, currently at large, told Dutch TV news show Nieuwsuur over phone on Tuesday night that he had no objection to a disclosure of the deal.

He said he has nothing to hide and denied that he received the money in exchange for giving information. Endi