Drug trafficking, the poison of Europe

The Wealth of a Nation

7.052mNovember 21, 2025

For centuries, the Netherlands built its prosperity on mastery of the oceans, colonial conquest, and a capitalism based on global trade. But behind the facades of the splendid mansions lining Amsterdam's canals lies a forgotten history: that of a pioneering country in the drug trade. From colonial opium dens to Moroccan hashish and synthetic drugs, this first episode reveals how, over several centuries, Dutch economic history created a gray area between legality and crime. A gray area that would pave the way for criminal organizations capable of a level of violence previously unknown in Europe.