The biggest drug trafficking trial ever held in Limburg resumed on Monday morning in Tongeren after five postponements.
The case, which revolves around the Costa Dossier, dates back to 28 October 2019, when authorities intercepted a container of timber with over 2,792 kilogrammes of cocaine at the Port of Antwerp.
Investigations revealed the involvement of four criminal organisations that coordinated multiple shipments through the port. The street value of the drugs they smuggled into Belgium was estimated at €3.5 billion.
The trial involves some 50 defendants and several companies, marking it as Limburg’s largest-ever drug trafficking case.
Court proceedings initially began in March 2025 but have faced repeated delays, turning the trial into a legal saga.
Monday morning's session was disrupted by the absence of Tom Bastiaanse, a key figure in the trial, and a suspension of proceedings just 30 minutes after they began.
The Defence Attorney for A.H., a Dutch national currently facing drug-related charges in the Netherlands and who had been extradited from Dubai to stand trial, requested the separation of the case for his client. The court granted this request.
In the afternoon, Federal Prosecutor Evi Franco resumed presenting the case, which she is expected to conclude by Wednesday. Defence lawyers will then follow with their arguments.
