A check was held on the grounds of Royal FloraHolland in Aalsmeer on Thursday 29 August. This check aims to counter criminal interference in the floriculture sector, which is attractive to criminals due to the many (inter)national transport movements.
The Amsterdam police unit and the Eenheid Landelijke Expertise en Operaties Unit carried out the integrated check together with Customs, the Dutch Labour Inspectorate and Platform Veilig Ondernemen (PVO). This was done in cooperation with Royal FloraHolland and the Resilient Floriculture Sector approach.
Results of inspections
During the inspection day, 29 trucks were subjected to an integral inspection. In the process, one driver was warned for not showing a license. Furthermore, several companies were visited to hold preventive and informative talks with employees to raise awareness. The inspection resulted in several concrete signs of criminal interference. Therefore, a follow-up inspection or further investigation will take place at several companies. The Netherlands Labor Inspectorate is conducting follow-up investigations in three cases. In addition, a fine was issued for a person who was working while receiving benefits.
Working together on safety
Under the Resilient Floriculture Sector Approach, various government agencies and companies in the sector are working together to keep the horticulture sector safe and address vulnerabilities. Entrepreneurs and employees benefit from a safe working environment. The focus is therefore on prevention by providing entrepreneurs with knowledge to recognize signs of crime. It also explains where and why you should always report abuses. Through efficient and active controls, the cooperation partners contribute to safety in the workplace and fair competition for law-abiding entrepreneurs. Attention is also paid to compliance with the Working Hours Act, for example.
Risks
Criminal interference, think of finding drugs in your cargo or on your premises, can lead to unsafe situations for the entrepreneur, employees and nearby businesses. Reputational damage for the company and the sector is also a potential risk.
Together, we want to prevent criminals from operating in the sector, and make companies resilient and alert. We do so by sharing knowledge, promoting supervision, monitoring and enforcement, increasing willingness to report and erecting barriers, among other things. The Transport Facilitated Organised Crime (TFOC) program of the Dutch national police force focuses on combating and preventing organised crime in the transport sector in the Netherlands. This perfectly matches the aim of the Resilient Floriculture Sector approach. When it comes to checks, they join forces to speak to drivers, entrepreneurs, and other key players in the industry, and make them aware of the risks of criminal interference.
For more information:
Resilient Ornamental Horticulture Sector 
[email protected]
www.weerbaresierteeltsector.nl