But  $result seems to have been in fact the hash  %result originally and not a reference to a hash, so the statement
    print $result{'results'}[0]{'reeksid'};
is what would print '401688'.

The dump of the OP looks like it came from a statement like
    print Dumper %result;
originally (Update: unless maybe it was something like
    print Dumper %$result;
which is starting to seem more likely now I think of it and especially in light of the "It works..." comment from hvha above).