A large police operation at the Belgium-France border on Friday night resulted in the checks of 734 people.
The checks were conducted between 19:00 and 1:00 on the night of 21 to 22 November, at control points set up on both sides of the border. The operation was led by the coordination and support directorate of Belgium’s federal police in West Flanders, in collaboration with their counterparts in Hainaut and French police forces.
The command centre was located at the CCPD (Centre de Coopération Policière et Douanière) in Doornik, a hub for close cooperation between Belgian and French authorities. Local police zones, including Westkust, Arro Ieper, Spoorkin, Vlas, Grensleie, Comines-Warneton, Mouscron, and Val de l’Escaut, were also involved.
The operation resulted in six judicial reports being drawn up. One person was arrested for questioning after being flagged in police records. Additionally, two individuals were administratively detained for disturbing public order, and small quantities of cannabis were confiscated.
In total, 67 traffic violations were recorded, including 13 incidents of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. 19 drivers had their licences revoked on the spot, and four uninsured vehicles were seized.
The federal police highlighted in a press statement the challenges posed by cross-border crime in the region, including human smuggling, drug trafficking, and roaming organised theft groups. They emphasised that the coordinated action was intended to send a strong message that borders cannot serve as safe havens for criminal activity.
