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Amsterdam unveils cleanup of city centre
Amsterdam unveiled plans yesterday to shutter up to half of its famed brothels and marijuana cafes as part of a major cleanup of its ancient city centre.
- AP
- Published: 23:53 December 6, 2008
Amsterdam: Amsterdam unveiled plans yesterday to shutter up to half of its famed brothels and marijuana cafes as part of a major cleanup of its ancient city centre.
The city says it wants to drive organised crime out of the neighbourhood, and is targeting businesses that "generate criminality" including prostitution, gambling parlours, "smart shops" that sell herbal treatments, head shops and "coffee shops" where marijuana is sold openly.
"By reduction and zoning of these kinds of functions, we will be able to manage better and tackle the criminal infrastructure," the city said in a statement.
It said it would also reduce a number of business it sees as related to the "decay" of the centre.
The city said there were too many of these and it believes some are used for money-laundering by drug dealers and human traffickers who supply many of the city's prostitutes.
Under the plan announced yesterday, Amsterdam will spend 30-40 million euros (Dh140-180 million) to bring hotels, restaurants, cultural organisations and boutiques to the centre. It will also build new underground parking areas for cars and bikes and may use some vacated buildings to ease a housing shortage.
Amsterdam already had plans to close many brothels and said last month it may close some coffee shops in the city, but the plans announced yesterday go much further.
The city said it would offer retraining to prostitutes and coffee shop employees who will lose their jobs as a result of the plan. Prostitution, which has spread into several areas of the centre, will now be allowed only in two areas.
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