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| 1,500 Belgian police swoop in 200 dawn raids in a major operation against cocaine-smuggling gangs | 1,500 Belgian police swoop in 200 dawn raids in a major operation against cocaine-smuggling gangs |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Belgian police conducted some 200 raids simultaneously on Tuesday morning in a coordinated strike against cocaine- and drug-smuggling gangs focused on the port of Antwerp. | Belgian police conducted some 200 raids simultaneously on Tuesday morning in a coordinated strike against cocaine- and drug-smuggling gangs focused on the port of Antwerp. |
| The raids, which began around 5am and involved some 1,500 officers, were a joint operation organized by the Belgian prosecutor’s office and prosecutors in Antwerp. The city is home to Europe’s second-busiest port and is often the scene of police and customs operations. It is regularly used as an entry point for criminal gangs importing narcotics into Europe. | The raids, which began around 5am and involved some 1,500 officers, were a joint operation organized by the Belgian prosecutor’s office and prosecutors in Antwerp. The city is home to Europe’s second-busiest port and is often the scene of police and customs operations. It is regularly used as an entry point for criminal gangs importing narcotics into Europe. |
| Officials say Tuesday’s raids had been planned for more than two years and mainly targeted cocaine smugglers and the organized criminal gangs that support them. A spokesman for the prosecutor’s office said that, although the drug gangs had international links, only Belgian authorities were involved in the operation. | Officials say Tuesday’s raids had been planned for more than two years and mainly targeted cocaine smugglers and the organized criminal gangs that support them. A spokesman for the prosecutor’s office said that, although the drug gangs had international links, only Belgian authorities were involved in the operation. |
| As well as Antwerp, police also swooped in properties in Brussels, Limburg and Wallonia, seizing weapons and hundreds of thousands in euro. | As well as Antwerp, police also swooped in properties in Brussels, Limburg and Wallonia, seizing weapons and hundreds of thousands in euro. |
| Belgian broadcaster RTBF reported that police were acting on information gleaned from encrypted phones preferred by criminal gangs to communicate securely. | Belgian broadcaster RTBF reported that police were acting on information gleaned from encrypted phones preferred by criminal gangs to communicate securely. |
| In 2020, Belgian authorities discovered 65.5 tons of cocaine being shipped through Antwerp port, with volumes increasing 14-fold in the past eight years. | In 2020, Belgian authorities discovered 65.5 tons of cocaine being shipped through Antwerp port, with volumes increasing 14-fold in the past eight years. |
| Last year, officials from Belgium and three other countries broke up a gang with South American ties that shipped hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of cocaine into Europe – a probe that started with the discovery of 2.8 tons of narcotics stashed away in a container passing through the port. | Last year, officials from Belgium and three other countries broke up a gang with South American ties that shipped hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of cocaine into Europe – a probe that started with the discovery of 2.8 tons of narcotics stashed away in a container passing through the port. |
| If you like this story, share it with a friend! | If you like this story, share it with a friend! |