A staff member at the Brussels Public Prosecutor's Office has been arrested as part of an investigation into drug seizures at the port of Antwerp.
According to a report today by Gazet van Antwerpen. The Antwerp and Brussels prosecutor's offices have both confirmed the involvement of an employee from the Brussels public prosecutor's office in the case.
Bianca V., a 50-year-old woman who allegedly acted on behalf of Nick T., a dockworker from Ostend, and allegedly her longtime lover, who is also linked to the transportation of cocaine from the port.
The woman came under suspicion following a series of house searches conducted in July across Flanders. In total, eleven individuals were arrested, seven of whom (including the prosecutor’s office employee) were remanded in custody by the investigating judge.
During a search in the garage belonging to Nick T., police discovered several luxury cars and racing motorbikes. Two Porsches were registered in the name of Bianca V.
Investigators suspect this was an attempt to conceal the origin of drug money.
Bianca V. registered the vehicles in her name as a favour to her lover, who claimed to sell art and vehicles, and asked her to register some of his cars in her name.
According to her lawyer, Issabel De Fré, Bianca V checked with the insurance company, and since it didn't seem to create any problem, she agreed.
Picture shows a police officer next to a truck during, the presentation of the half-year figure for cocaine seizures in the first half of 2024 in the Port of Antwerp on Wednesday 10 July 2024, in Beveren.
Credit : Belga
According to Gazet van Antwerpen, prosecutors are also investigating whether the woman may have leaked sensitive information using her position in the justice system to criminal networks. However, her lawyer Issabel De Fré stated that she is not aware of any "objective evidence" to suggest that her client abused her role or access to information for the benefit of a criminal organisation.
The investigation in which the prosecutor’s office employee was arrested deals with the extraction of drugs from the Port of Antwerp.
Various methods are believed to have been used: refrigerated containers accessed by cooling technicians, straddle carriers (machines used to move containers) which were allegedly used to place South American drug shipments next to a container.
This method allowed large quantities of drugs to be transferred and then transported in the switch container to a nearby extraction depot.
Among the suspects are several port workers employed on the notorious, drug-sensitive quay 1742.
In addition to the luxury vehicles, last month’s searches led to the seizure of €750,000 in cash, designer clothing, and racing bikes in her house.
The woman is expected to appear before the council chamber again soon, which will decide whether her detention should be extended. The investigation into the organisation and the possible involvement of corrupt port personnel remains ongoing.
