Minister proposes police liaison officers in Central America to combat drug trafficking

Interior minister Bernard Quintin has proposed appointing liaison officers in Panama and the United Arab Emirates to strengthen the fight against international drug trafficking and reduce the influx of cocaine via the port of Antwerp.

Quintin visited the port on Wednesday, where he said that expanding the network of liaison officers from the federal police was a “crucial next step” in the fight against cocaine trafficking. In addition to being an important economic hub, the port is a major gateway for drugs.

“The fight against drugs in our country starts in Antwerp,” Quintin said in a press release. 

“The drugs we intercept here reach Brussels and the rest of the country. With new liaison officers in Panama and the United Arab Emirates, we can bring our fight closer to the source of international trafficking. This is crucial in order to strike even harder and more effectively at the networks behind drug crime.”

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Since 2023, Belgium has had a liaison office in Bogotá, Colombia, which focuses on cooperation with Colombia and Ecuador. However, cocaine trafficking is increasingly shifting to Central America, with Panama, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic and Honduras among the new hubs.

"The fight against drugs in our country starts in Antwerp. The drugs we intercept here reach Brussels and the rest of the country"

The Netherlands has eight liaison offices in Latin America and has been pushing for a stronger Belgian presence in the region. 

Cooperation with the UAE recently led to the extradition of one of Belgium’s “high value targets”, drug lord Othman El Ballouti. A permanent liaison officer in the UAE would provide a structural framework for this cooperation. 

^{#FlandersNewsService | Interior minister Bernard Quintin meets the shipping police at the port of Antwerp, February 2025 © BELGA PHOTO DIRK WAEM}

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