Is Ferry 2 based on a true story? Explained

The crime drama thriller movie Ferry 2, a sequel to the film Ferry, was released on Netflix on December 20, 2024. The approximately 95-minute film continued the story of Dutchman Ferry Bouman, a character loosely inspired by the infamous drug lord Janus van Wessenbeeck.

Wessenbeeck is considered to be one of the most famous drug peddlers and sellers of all time. For those willing to learn about his origins, he is from Eindhoven, where he grew up in a trailer park.

According to an article on Lommel, Wessenbeeck got involved in the world of crime at a very young age. This led him to get arrested multiple times over a span of several years. In total, he has spent approximately twelve years in jail for his drug-related activities.

In addition to that, he was also arrested and sentenced to prison time in 2011 after he was found guilty of smuggling 15,000 kilos of hash and 600 kilos of amphetamine, as per NL Times. However, he was released before the end of his sentence in 2015.

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Ferry 2 is loosely based on the life of a real-life drug kingpin

Ferry 2 is loosely based on a real-life character (Image via Pexels)

The story of Ferry 2 is loosely inspired by the real-life figure Janus van Wessenbeeck, who is often referred to as one of the largest drug producers and smugglers globally. According to Lommel, Janus got involved in the drug trade in the late eighties, just after he got done with his teenage years.

He partnered with his father, Grad Van Wesenbeeck, and together, they recognized the vast potential in the drug industry stemming from Morocco. Once they devised their plan, they began smuggling drugs from Morocco to their base using a camper, allowing them to launch their operation.

Initially, they started with a significant amount of hash,100 kilos, to be precise. As they saw their strategies paying off, they gradually increased their haul, sometimes reaching up to 4000 kilos. They even ventured into other networking avenues to streamline their operations to facilitate their business. For example, they established a travel agency named Exclusive Tours in Turnhout, which they used to transport drugs across the world.

With tourists on board the buses, this provided a cover that reduced suspicion about their activities from authorities. However, they eventually got caught, though their time in trouble was brief. After their release, Janus and his father resumed their operations. From that point onwards, their business only continued to expand as they traded various items across the globe.

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What is Ferry 2 about?

The film was written by Tibbe van Hoof and Geerard Van de Walle and directed by Wannes Destoop. It stars Frank Lammers, Aiko Mila Beemsterboer, Tobias Kersloot, Huub Smit, Marouane Meftah, Hamza Othman, Jonas Smulders.

The official synopsis for the movie on Netflix Media Center reads:

"After losing it all, Ferry vanished into the shadows, far away from Brabant. On the surface, he is doing well, surrounded by superficial contacts. That all changes when Ferry's second cousin, Jezebel Van Kamp, pleads for help, burdening Ferry with a heavy conscience."

It continues:

"Redemption beckons, but Ferry knows one secret must remain buried: his part in the murder of Jezebel’s father, Jurgen. The stakes are high, and the truth threatens to consume Ferry..."

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Ferry 2 is currently streaming on Netflix.