Eight Belgian suspects were arrested by the Federal Judicial Police in Brussels on 25 September in connection with an international drug trafficking ring, it was announced on Monday.
The police seized on 25 September over €150,000 euros, a luxury vehicle, two weapons and discovered a cannabis plantation composed of about 1,000 plants in the Belgian municipality of Evere, reports RTBF.
The arrests were made in connection with seizures of cocaine that took place on 2 April and 10 June, at different Brazilian ports, of 557 kilograms and 506 kilograms, respectively. The shipments, which contained concealed cocaine, were addressed to a company in Belgium, reports the French-speaking broadcaster.
In response to the seizures, the Narcotics Division of the Federal Judicial Police in Belgium opened up an investigation into the Belgian network of the drug trafficking ring. About 20 similar shipments have been identified as a result.
Brazil seized 25.3 tons of cocaine bound for Europe and Africa in the first half of 2019, an increase of over 90% when compared with the same period in 2018, reported France24.
Evie McCullough
The Brussels Times
