Ten individuals involved in the smuggling of 290 kilograms of glass eels have been sentenced to prison terms ranging from 24 to 46 months by the Brussels Correctional Court on Friday.
Glass eels, a protected species, are in high demand in certain Asian countries where they are considered a delicacy, fetching thousands of euros per kilogram on the black market.
Eels are listed under CITES Appendix II, which aims to regulate the international trade of endangered species. According to CITES rules, trade within the EU is subject to quotas, and export outside the EU is strictly prohibited, explained Ingrid Moriau, spokesperson for the Halle-Vilvoorde prosecutor’s office.
Worldwide, glass eels are a coveted product, particularly in Asia, where they are part of cultural traditions and are believed to possess medicinal properties. Consequently, traders pay thousands of euros, fuelling illegal operations by criminal groups.
The annual illegal trade in glass eels is estimated at €3 billion. In France, where fishing is tightly regulated, they sell for €700 to €900 per kilo, while in Asia, prices can reach up to €5,000.
An investigation began in France in 2021 into a large-scale organisation exporting glass eels, implicating fish traders and fishermen. This illegal export network was facilitated by Asian intermediaries based around Paris, using European airports, including Zaventem Airport, catching the attention of Belgian customs and police.
On 24 February 2023, Brussels Airport customs discovered eighteen identical suitcases for a flight to Doha, all wrapped in plastic. Upon inspection, the cases contained bags of water filled with glass eels, accompanied by frozen water bottles as coolers. Six Malaysian passengers were apprehended for attempting to smuggle 140 kilograms of glass eels, valued at approximately €400,000, to Malaysia via Qatar and Vietnam.
In April 2023, two raids in Antwerp resulted in three arrests and the seizure of an additional 150 kilograms of glass eels found in three plastic pools equipped with oxygen pumps. A tenth suspect was arrested in June 2023.
The ten accused recently stood trial in the Brussels Correctional Court, receiving prison terms from 24 to 46 months and fines ranging from €4,000 to €32,000. Some sentences were partially suspended. The court condemned the “very serious offences that undeniably impact biodiversity.”
In May 2023, the Halle-Vilvoorde prosecutor’s office reported that the 140 kilograms of glass eels confiscated at Brussels Airport were released into Flemish waters by authorities, whereas the 150 kilograms seized in Antwerp had to be euthanised due to virus contamination.
Simultaneously, raids in France, Spain, and Poland as part of the ongoing French investigation led to four key arrests in France, the discovery of a clandestine tank with smuggled eels, and storage equipment. In Poland, authorities investigated a suspected front company allegedly receiving glass eels for re-export. In Spain, around 20 individuals were arrested. Across these enforcement actions, approximately €200,000 in cash and €900,000 in goods were seized. Investigators estimate the gang exported nearly four tonnes of glass eels since 2021, profiting €1.18 million.
