A record 110 tonnes of cocaine were seized in the Belgian port of Antwerp in 2022. The city is now the main gateway into Europe for the drug, which largely comes from South America concealed in fruit shipments. Faced with this trafficking epidemic, Belgian authorities have recruited almost 100 extra customs officers and invested in new scanning equipment. The illegal trade has resulted in ballooning cocaine consumption in Antwerp and security problems beyond the region. Belgium’s justice system is overwhelmed – even the justice minister himself has received kidnapping threats from suspected traffickers. Our correspondent reports.
This story originally appeared on France24
Belgium struggles to combat booming drug trade in port city of Antwerp
