The manager of a café in Laeken has been charged with the unauthorised sale or distribution of illegal substances and placed under judicial detention, Brussels-Capital/Ixelles police confirmed on Wednesday.
Authorities sealed the establishment on 16 August after police raided the premises, which were strongly suspected of being a hub for drug trafficking.
This was not the first time the café had been implicated in such activities: it had previously been linked to similar offences, and local residents had complained recently about suspicious activity. .
Upon entering the café, officers detected a strong smell of cannabis. They conducted checks on everyone present and discovered small amounts of drugs in the possession of some individuals.
Police also found empty plastic bags behind the counter, allegedly used for packaging drugs, as well as a cardboard box containing a bag with 53 grammes of marijuana and a precision scale.
Additionally, a sniffer dog found 30 grammes of marijuana hidden in a sofa within the café’s private area.
Authorities also seized five brand-new watches, valued at a total of €1,834.
The investigation is ongoing.
