Anyone who just walks through Rotterdam with more than 2,000 euros in cash and is arrested, must immediately pay a fine of 2,500 euros as far as the VVD is concerned. That is an idea of party chairman Vincent Karremans of the Rotterdam VVD, he wants to introduce a cash limit in the city.
According to VVD Rotterdam, such a rule would help in the fight against drug crime. “Every year 20 billion euros is earned in the Dutch illegal drug economy. That is all cash money. Cash money is the oil that runs the engine of the Dutch drug economy”, says Karremans. The rule does not apply to people who walk the streets with large sums of money for their (legitimate) work.
With the cash limit, the municipality can immediately take away the supposed drug money. “Normal Dutch people don’t go out on the street with more than 2,000 euros in cash. In fact, most Rotterdammers don’t even have that much money, let alone cash. You know who? Drug criminals.”
The rule therefore does not apply to entrepreneurs who, for example, bring cash to the bank or have a lot of cash in their pocket for some other reason.
In addition to the cash limit on the street, the VVD also wants jewelry sellers and expensive clothing stores to no longer accept banknotes of 100 euros and not accept cash payments of more than 500 euros.