A major integrated police operation in Brussels on Friday led to 41 judicial arrests and 19 administrative arrests, with officers checking 1,133 people, 272 vehicles and 18 businesses.
The Full Integrated Police Action (FIPA) operation, which took place on Friday afternoon and evening, targeted several hotspots linked to drugs and weapons. More than 600 service members took part, including over 450 police officers and around 60 soldiers.
It marked the first time military personnel had joined this type of integrated operation.
Federal police said the action formed part of efforts to tackle urban crime and violence linked to drug trafficking. Brussels has recently seen a string of shootings, mainly in Saint-Gilles, but also in Anderlecht and Molenbeek-Saint-Jean.
Interior Minister Bernard Quintin said on Friday that the operation had been planned well in advance and was not organised in response to those incidents.
The checks involved all six Brussels police zones and the federal police, with support from the Ministry of Defence, Brussels public transport operator STIB, railway security service Securail, the Immigration Office and the Brussels Office of the Public Prosecutor.
Operations were carried out at railway stations, across the STIB network and in several neighbourhoods identified as sensitive.
Police drew up 81 official reports, including 33 for traffic offences and 17 for illegal residence. They also issued 120 on-the-spot fines for drug possession.
Officers seized 11 weapons, including knives, along with 530 grammes of drugs, mostly small quantities intended for personal use.
They also confiscated €9,410 in cash, six vehicles and 62,160 cigarettes.
