SITTARD/MAASTRICHT - Eight residents of Sittard-Geleen are suspected of large-scale welfare fraud. Several tons are involved, according to the prosecution. The prosecution did not have exact figures ready yesterday during a pro forma hearing. The fraud committed by the four men and four women aged 29 to 60 allegedly took place in the period from Feb. 5, 2005 to Dec. 31, 2009. But the group is not only suspected of benefit fraud, some are also believed to be drug traffickers. They allegedly sold both soft and hard drugs. There was also evidence of prohibited possession of weapons among the suspects.

Hijacking and theft of electricity were once charged against the eight men from Sittard-Geleen. Lawyer Stef Bergmans questioned on behalf of his clients why an arrest unit was used in the arrests. "I would like to know what the rules are for that and why this procedure was used in this particular case," he said. The details for this will still be added to the file. The case will actually be taken up by the Maastricht court at the end of February 2013.