Questioned by many deputies on this subject, Brussels Minister Elke Van den Brandt (Groen) mentioned “a huge increase”since the end of covid, drug consumption on the Stib network.
Crack consumption, completely naked people, fire to heat food…: the Porte de Hal metro overwhelmed by drug addiction
In 2023, incidents related to drug addiction will increase on the Stib network. “This increase is also partly linked to the proactivity of security services in relation to this problem.“More than 11,000 incidents were recorded by dispatch, including 4,000 for the presence of drug addicts.”The Stib received 969 complaints concerning the presence of homeless people or drug addicts. Which represents an increase of 66% compared to 2022. Customer-care notes that complaints concern less and less the presence of homeless people per se, but more and more cases of drug consumption in view of all in the stations“, noted the Minister of Mobility in current affairs.
Stib highlights the ten most problematic metro stations in Brussels: “The situation is serious”
An operational Includo service
In 2022, the transport company has already sounded the alarm “to say that the situation is becoming more and more difficult”. In the process, measures were taken, such as the SubLink project in conjunction with land associations. Between January and September 2024, 5,835 interventions took place: in total, “1023 people were met“. The Stib also now organizes internal maraudes via the “Includo” project, inspired by Paris, with the aim of reorienting people who are wandering.
