A suspect was arrested in Liège after police found dozens of nitrous oxide canisters in his car and at his home, the Liège public prosecutor’s office said on Sunday.
The man, who was born in 2000, was initially stopped while driving in Liège. During the check, officers found 12 nitrous oxide canisters inside the vehicle.
He was then arrested and taken into custody. Police later carried out a search of his home, where they seized a further 22 canisters.
The suspect was already known to the authorities for offences related to drug legislation.
The case has now been referred to an investigating judge, and prosecutors have requested an arrest warrant for the young man.
Nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, is a chemical compound used in particular in medical anaesthesia and in kitchen cream chargers. When misused for its euphoric effects, inhaling it causes a short-lived high. Repeated abuse can lead to serious neurological damage.
