Belgian customs seized a record amount of cocaine last year
Kyiv • UNN
Belgian customs seized a record 116 tons of cocaine at the port of Antwerp in 2023. This coincides with the rapid growth in demand for cocaine in the EU and the use of Antwerp as a major entry point for Latin American cocaine cartels.
Belgian customs seized 116 tons of cocaine in the port of Antwerp in 2023, setting a record for the second year in a row. This is reported by the Belgian authorities, UNN reports with reference to AP.
Details
It is noted that the demand for cocaine is growing rapidly in the EU, and governments blame drug trafficking for outbreaks of violence in major port cities such as Antwerp, Rotterdam in the Netherlands, and Marseille in France.
The port of Antwerp has become the main gateway for Latin American cocaine cartels to the continent.
According to Finance Minister Vincent Van Petegem, another five tons of cocaine were seized last year in the port of Zeebrugge, which is part of the larger port of Antwerp-Bruges.
Thousands of employees across the country made every effort in extraordinary circumstances last year,
The announcement came a day after 22 people, including three police officers, were arrested in a major anti-drug operation targeting people suspected of smuggling cocaine through Antwerp.
Addendum
According to Belgian authorities, the amount of cocaine seized in Europe's second-largest seaport increased from 110 tons in 2022, adding that Colombia, Ecuador and Panama remain the main countries of origin.
In Belgium, federal authorities say that drug trafficking is rapidly infiltrating society as foreign criminal organizations have taken deep roots in the country, bringing with them their violent and ruthless operations.
Recall
Bolivia confiscated a record 8.8 tons of cocaine worth $224 million; it was the largest confiscation in the country's history, and the drugs were most likely headed for the Netherlands.
