Drug trafficking from Belgium

An international network used Belgium as a starting point for the transit of illicit substances to the United Kingdom via the Channel.

The federal judicial police (PJF) of Brussels dismantled a international drug trafficking network suspectedmainly focused on cocaine, supplying the British market from Belgium, the Brussels prosecutor announced Tuesday in a press release. This network, led by Albanian nationalsallegedly used truck drivers to transport the drugs between Belgium and England. The investigation, carried out by the public prosecutor’s office and the federal judicial police of Brussels, made it possible to identify and dismantle a structured network operating from several locations in Belgium, mainly in the Brussels regionbut also in Flemish Brabant and Walloon Brabant.

As part of the operation carried out Monday morning, around thirty searches were carried out, leading to the arrest of several suspects and the seizure of evidence. During this operation, investigators seized two armes fist, moneyof the luxury items and several vehicles. Before this dismantling of the drug trafficking network operating from Belgium, investigators had already targeted suspicious transports, leading to the seizure of cocaine and sums of money by the French and English authorities. These seizures made it possible to strengthen the investigation and shed light on the extent of the international network suspected of drug trafficking. Investigations revealed that the network would have used transport companies to camouflage the passage of drugsby hiding the cargo within trucks transporting legal goods. This modus operandi would have allowed the traffic to take place discreetly, transiting across the Channel to supply the English market. Of the additional investigations are underway to identify all those responsible and extend the dismantling of the network.