Airport employees among five convicted of drug smuggling
Five people including two airport employees have been convicted of drug smuggling via Brussels Airport. During the investigation, police seized 123kg of cocaine with a street value of 6 million euros, in addition to significant sums of cash.
The investigation began in 2023 when the Belgian courts received video footage from the Netherlands. It showed a Brussels Airport employee offering his services to “get goods out of the airport” and saying he could access all areas without arousing suspicion.
He was identified as A and his movements were traced. The Halle-Vilvoorde federal judicial police noted that he was always present on the tarmac when a flight from the Gambian capital Banjul landed.
He closely watched the unloading of luggage and always accompanied the baggage cart with his airport vehicle to a garage where there were no cameras. After a short time, the cart left the garage, after which A left the airport grounds in his vehicle, returning soon afterwards.
Nearby handover
Police identified seven drug transports between April and July 2023, in which the baggage cart was always driven by the same person, identified as B.
Because A always returned to the airport quickly, investigators knew the transfer must take place nearby. In July, they established that A handed over three suitcases to three individuals in Sterrebeek.
"A substantial community service order would be a more useful punishment than a long stay in prison"
A and B were arrested, as were the three other suspects, identified as Y, S and R. A suitcase containing 43kg of cocaine was found in one vehicle, with two suitcases containing a total of 80kg of cocaine found in a second vehicle. The third vehicle, driven by S, was to accompany the two couriers.
All five were placed under arrest but were released during the investigation. Their lawyers argued for community service sentences during the hearing.
Criminal organisations
“A man of African origin had approached him to earn some extra money, and my client initially refused, but when his family was threatened, he decided to cooperate,” A’s lawyer said.
“When the police arrested him, he was relieved to be out of the clutches of that organisation. Since his release, he has found permanent employment again, so a substantial community service order would be a more useful punishment than a long stay in prison.”
Lawyers for the other defendants argued along the same lines, pointing to the recent wave of shootings in Brussels and attacks in Antwerp: “Our clients see this too and know the risks they and their families run if they do not cooperate with these criminal organisations.”
All five were sentenced to four years in prison.
#FlandersNewsService | Illustration © BELGA PHOTO ERIC LALMAND
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