Belgium has found itself at the center of a concerning trend as the country experienced a surge in cocaine smuggling through its ports in 2023. With record seizures taking place, the nation has become a focal point for illegal trade from Central and South America. This worrisome development prompted Belgian officials, along with their Dutch counterparts, to gather in the port of Flushing in the Netherlands for a news conference. Their aim was to shed light on their ongoing efforts while also advocating for increased coordination to combat organized crime and the extensive smuggling operations.
According to data released by Belgium’s Minister of Finance, Vince Van Peteghem, the amount of seized cocaine in Antwerp saw a notable uptick of just over five percent in 2023. Minister Van Peteghem underscored the heightened efforts put forth by the country’s customs operation, emphasizing the urgency of the situation. Additionally, an additional five tonnes of cocaine were intercepted in the neighboring Belgian port of Zeebrugge in the same year. The primary countries of origin for these smuggling activities, as cited by Belgium, are Colombia, Ecuador, and Panama, with Minister Van Peteghem highlighting that these three countries continued to dominate the illegal trade in 2023.
While Antwerp has emerged as the primary entry point for cartels seeking to smuggle cocaine into the continent, the issue is not confined to this location alone. European Union officials have pointed to Belgium, the Netherlands, and Spain, revealing that three-quarters of the seizures in 2021 occurred in the ports of these three countries. In response to this growing concern, Belgium has expressed its intention to leverage the European Commission’s comprehensive roadmap, which was launched in October the previous year, during its leadership of the Council. The objective is to intensify efforts aimed at combating drug trafficking and dismantling criminal networks in European ports.
As Belgium grapples with the daunting task of addressing the surge in cocaine smuggling, it is clear that a collaborative and coordinated approach is essential. The need for enhanced cooperation among nations, coupled with sustained vigilance, will be pivotal in effectively curbing the activities of drug cartels and criminal networks. With the spotlight firmly fixed on Belgium and its neighboring countries, the ongoing efforts to combat this illicit trade are of paramount importance in safeguarding the well-being of communities and upholding the rule of law.
