Hundreds of employees suspended after drug screening at Antwerp port
More than 300 employees at the port of Antwerp-Bruges have been suspended after failing new drug-related security checks, Belgian newspapers Gazet van Antwerpen and Het Nieuwsblad report.
Since the start of 2025, the federal police have screened people working in Belgian ports as part of a tougher crackdown on drug crime. The checks lead to a security assessment by the National Maritime Security Authority.
So far, 16,678 people have been screened, mainly in Antwerp-Bruges. About 1.9 per cent received a negative assessment, according to the Mobility ministry. That equals roughly 320 people, many of whom were suspended immediately.
Most of those screened so far are office staff. Dock workers are due to be checked next.
People with a negative assessment may still enter the port but are banned from “critical” roles. Employers are legally required to follow the advice. In practice, this often means suspension without pay, as staff can no longer carry out their duties.
The government says the aim is to keep people with links to drug crime away from sensitive positions. The move follows record cocaine seizures in the port, with 55 tonnes intercepted last year.
Employers and unions are watching closely as dock workers begin to be screened. There are concerns that very strict checks could disrupt port operations. Talks are under way between unions, police and the Justice minister to agree clear guidelines for how the screenings should be applied.
#FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO DIRK WAEM
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