Dutch PM ‘targeted for kidnapping by drug gangs’

Dutch police have stepped up security for Prime Minister Mark Rutte over fears he may be targeted for kidnapping or an attack by drug gangs. The threat against Rutte, who is known for riding his bike around town with little security, comes after the Dutch government pledged a crackdown on organised crime groups following the murder of a prominent investigative reporter in August. The 54-year-old centre-right premier has been shadowed by so-called spotters for an notorious drug trafficking gang dubbed the “Mocro Mafia”, newspaper and several broadcasters reported. —