A man who is currently serving a prison sentence for his role in several gangland killings has been arrested in his cell for his involvement in another five, police have confirmed.

Jaouad W (44), who according to the Parool was the “executioner” for gangland boss Ridouan Taghi, had almost finished his time in prison when police linked him to five unsolved, mostly drugs-related killings. The murders took place between 2011 and 2014 in Amersfoort, Houten and Steenbergen.

Based on information from intercepted encrypted conversations, the police were able to connect W to the murders of 22-year-old Mohammed Alarasi and 38-year-old Samir Jabli  in Amersfoort. Alarasi was possibly killed by mistake when taken for Jabli, police said.

W is also suspected of having a hand in the shooting of Pieter Vos (47) and Jaap Zillig (53) at a hotel in Houten in 2011. Both had been involved in the drug trade for years. In the same year, Rinus Moers (68) was killed in the same year in another drug-related murder for which police also hold W responsible.

The Parool said police and the justice deparment had been “working hard for months” to tie Taghi’s henchmen to cases to prevent him from walking free.