Some 4.78 tonnes of cocaine have been discovered stashed away in shipping containers by investigators at the Port of Antwerp. Eight people are currently in preventive detention.
The investigation by the Brussels Public Prosecutor’s Office’s organised crime division targets a criminal organisation allegedly involved in importing and exporting cocaine to Belgium from South America, Central America, and Canada.
Initial findings suggest the organisation operated at the Port of Antwerp, facilitating the exit of suspicious containers and providing logistical support to other criminal organisations in exchange for money.
At the beginning of November, the federal judicial police of Brussels conducted 27 searches in Belgium and four in the Netherlands related to the case.
During these searches, authorities seized vehicles, weapons, luxury goods, and approximately 185,000 euros in cash.
The Brussels Public Prosecutor’s Office stated: "Eight individuals are currently in preventive detention in this case, charged with drug import-export offences and membership of a criminal organisation."
The investigation is ongoing. No further comments will be made by the Public Prosecutor's Office.
