A Cuban couple was arrested in Suriname as part of the investigation into the mysterious disappearance of Dutch film producer Rodney Leysner, 52, whose vehicle was found burned, crushed, and buried in a swamp.
Cuban nationals are among the three suspects detained so far, while a fourth person remains at large, according to reports from NOS and NL Times.
Leysner has been missing since Saturday, August 15, when he left to attend a work meeting in the Saramacca district, west of Paramaribo. His last known activity was around 4:43 p.m., and since then, no one has been able to reach him.
His mother, Dulci Bunsee, later made a desperate plea on social media: "Help me find my son."
The investigation took a turn on August 21 and 22, when the police discovered a burned and crushed vehicle that had been buried in a swamp in Saramacca.
Although it was severely damaged, investigators were able to recover the chassis number and confirmed that it corresponded to Leysner's white Kia Sorento, license plate PP 21-35, as reported by the Surinamese outlet Starnieuws.
Following that discovery, the authorities formally began investigating the disappearance as a possible crime.
Three arrested and one suspect at large
In addition to the Cuban couple, authorities arrested a Surinamese citizen.
A suspicious individual, identified by local media as Ryan T., remains at large. The police have searched several residences in their attempt to locate him, but as of this Tuesday, they have not been able to find him.
According to an investigation by De Telegraaf, the suspect's voice may be heard in some of the latest known images of Leysner, according to experts consulted by the newspaper.
The producer's body had not been located until the latest available information. The police requested that speculation about his whereabouts be avoided while the investigation continues.
Renowned producer and entrepreneur
Leysner is known both in the Netherlands and in Suriname for his career in film and business.
He participated as a producer in films such as Heksen bestaan niet (2014) and Fashion Chicks (2015), both of which received the Golden Film award after surpassing 100,000 viewers in Dutch cinemas. He was also involved in the production of Suriname (2020) and worked as a DJ under the stage name Sam Sin.
In Suriname, he also held a managerial position at Rudisa, one of the country's main business conglomerates, with operations in sectors such as media, automotive, and food.
His family launched a campaign on GoFundMe to finance the search efforts, which had raised nearly 28,000 euros out of a total of 30,000 euros.
"We want to do everything in our power to find Rodney and gain clarity about what happened to him," expressed the family, as reported by RTL.
The case occurs after other violent incidents involving Cubans in Suriname. In June, a Cuban woman managed to escape from her captors and reported an alleged trafficking ring, an investigation that led to the arrest of a Cuban and a Surinamese.
In July 2025, a Cuban woman was murdered in Suriname in front of her daughter.
So far, the authorities have not disclosed what role they assign to the arrested Cuban couple nor have they announced formal charges against them. The investigation continues while Leysner's family waits to find out what happened to the producer since that afternoon of August 15.
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