Large-scale police operation in Brussels: over 700 people checked
Federal police and the six Brussels police zones carried out a major joint operation on Monday evening across the capital, targeting organised crime and drug trafficking.
In total, 708 people, 621 vehicles and 13 businesses were checked. Nine people were placed under judicial arrest and 13 administratively detained. Police also issued reports for drug possession (2), weapons offences (2), illegal stay (9) and 83 traffic violations, including drink-driving, driving without a licence and driving uninsured.
The action, coordinated by federal police, involved local forces, the railway police and support units. Officers focused on visible patrols in the city and around train and metro stations.
“With this operation, we underline our joint commitment to ensure safety in Brussels through concrete and visible action,” police said.
The push comes amid a broader attempt to crack down on drug-related offences. New figures from the Justice ministry show that in the first half of 2025, a quarter of all on-the-spot settlements in Belgium were issued in Brussels. Almost all (99 per cent) concerned drug possession, making the capital responsible for 28 per cent of such cases nationwide.
According to ministry spokesperson Edward Landtsheere, the increase reflects “a clear will to respond quickly and visibly to drug-related nuisance”. The system, introduced in 2022, allows police to impose immediate fines of 50-150 euros for certain offences, such as drug possession, carrying prohibited weapons or shoplifting, which can be paid on the spot or within 15 days.
Police officers during a large-scale operation against drug trafficking in Brussels © BELGA PHOTO JAMES ARTHUR GEKIERE
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