Belgium’s escalating drug-related violence took centre stage on the European political debate programme The Ring this week, as Brussels Mayor Philippe Close (PS) and Brussels regional MP Mathias Vanden Borre (N-VA) discussed whether the country is at risk of becoming a "narco-state".
Belgium's drug problem has become a national security issue, with organised crime increasingly linked to violence, corruption and intimidation. The Euronews debate comes as Antwerp remains one of Europe's main entry points for cocaine trafficked from Latin America, while Brussels has also experienced a rise in shootings linked to rival drug networks.
Violence spreading beyond Antwerp
Belgian authorities seized 55 tonnes of cocaine last year, although officials acknowledge that far larger quantities are believed to enter the country concealed in shipments such as bananas, frozen food and timber.
The broadcaster noted that while most drug-related violence remains concentrated in Antwerp, Brussels has also seen an increase in shootings and turf wars, particularly around certain metro stations and in more deprived neighbourhoods.
Belgium is no longer seen solely as a transit country for narcotics but also as a significant consumer market. Wastewater analyses and European monitoring indicate relatively high cocaine consumption in Belgian cities compared with many other EU member states, while cocaine has become cheaper, purer and more widely available across Europe over the past decade.
Call for greater understanding by Close
Speaking during the debate, Mayor Close stressed that repression alone would not solve the problem. "It's only the police department and the justice that can solve this problem. We need to work against the drug problem but at the same time to understand why so many people from our population are using drugs," he said.
City of Brussels mayor Philippe Close (PS). Credit: Belga/Benoit Doppagne
Calls for a more unified response
The report stated that Belgium's drug challenge is "inseparable from a broader European problem". Antwerp and Rotterdam serve as key gateways for cocaine entering the European Union, meaning Belgian authorities face a structural challenge as long as demand in Europe remains high and production in South America continues to increase.
For Vanden Borre, tackling organised crime also requires institutional reform.
"You need to have a strong integrated government to attack these problems. I think this is partly what's lacking in Brussels. The organisation of the government is very fragmented,' he said during the debate.
"We have 19 mayors and maybe they don't all agree on the measures that should be taken. To have a unified strong response you need to have this one vision to tackle these problems. Socially, but also attack these problems of gun violence.
N-VA's Mathias Vanden Borre pictured during a plenary session of the Brussels Region Parliament. Credit: Belga Image/Nicolas Maeterlinck
