AMSTERDAM, Netherlands - <span style="font-weight: bold">Amsterdam unveiled plans Saturday to close brothels, sex shops and marijuana cafes in its ancient city center as part of a major effort to drive organized crime out of the tourist haven.</span>
The city is targeting businesses that "generate criminality," including gambling parlors, and the so-called "coffee shops" where marijuana is sold openly. Also targeted are peep shows, massage parlors and souvenir shops used by drug dealers for money-laundering.
"I think that the new reality will be more in line with our image as a <span style="font-weight: bold">tolerant</span> and crazy place, <span style="font-weight: bold">rather than a free zone for criminals</span>" said Lodewijk Asscher, a city council member and one of the main proponents of the plan.

Comment