One of the main elderly suspects in the ongoing court case about the sale of a suicide powder has died, the Volkskrant has reported.

Loek de L who was 80, was one of six suspects on trial for allegedly distributing the powder, known as substance X, to hundreds of people.

De L’s lawyer Alexander Admiraal told the paper that he died of natural causes and had heart problems. He was taken ill two days after the end of hearings and died in hospital two days later.

Six pensioners aged between 70 and 80 were charged with helping people to kill themselves in an organised way and should be jailed for up to 2.5 years, the public prosecution department said at last month’s hearing.

De L was said by the public prosecutor to have supplied the chemical compound to over 600 people via meetings at people’s homes. He bought the drug from Alex S, who was jailed for 3.5 years in 2023 for supplying the compound, known as “substance x”.

The unnamed powder is used in the chemical industry and when ingested it can take up to 40 hours to die. Selling the powder is not an offence in itself unless the purpose is to help someone take their own life. Under Dutch law, it is illegal to help someone to die, unless a doctor acts under the strict terms of euthanasia legislation.

The verdict is due in July.

Anyone struggling with suicidal thoughts can talk or chat anonymously with the helpline 113.nl or call the free number 0800-0113.