Speaking of Rohypnol....

[Guest trekker]

'Cookie Monster' Convicted

 

AMSTERDAM (Reuters, May 16, 2001) - A con artist dubbed the "cookie monster," who robbed tourists in Amsterdam after giving them biscuits laced with a strong sleeping drug, was sentenced to 2 1/2 years jail Tuesday.

 

Riyad al-Khatib, a 32-year-old Syrian, approached tourists in the Dutch capital last autumn offering them biscuits containing Rohypnol, and robbed them when they fell unconscious.

 

Dutch media reports said he had stolen more than $2,000.

 

A court in Amsterdam found him guilty of robbery on two occasions and said he had put his victims' lives at risk, a spokeswoman said.

 

The court also ordered him to pay damages to one of the victims, a Japanese tourist. Public prosecutors had originally accused Khatib of several other robberies, but decided not to pursue them due to lack of evidence.