Nearly 20 tonnes of marijuana seized in Port of Antwerp this year
Since the beginning of this year, almost 20,000kg of marijuana has been seized in the port of Antwerp. Four of the 13 seizures each involved more than 3 tonnes. By comparison, only 336kg were intercepted last year. The figures were released by customs and reported by Gazet van Antwerpen on Monday.
A total of 19,339kg has been seized by officers. Of the 13 shipments intercepted in 2025, 12 originated in Canada and one in Thailand. According to Francis Adyns, spokesperson for the Federal Public Service (FPS) Finance, Belgium has recently faced a surge in illegal cannabis imports from Canada, the US and Thailand.
“These arrive via maritime freight — primarily through the port of Antwerp and mostly from Canada — air freight, courier and postal deliveries and even passengers’ luggage,” he said.
These countries are among those where cannabis production has been legalised, at least in part. While legalisation applies only to domestic markets, producers and criminal networks continue to export large quantities abroad.
“One hypothesis is that there’s overproduction there, and that’s why a lot of it is exported through seaports, airports and postal parcels,” said national drug coordinator Professor Charlotte Colman of Ghent University.
#FlandersNewsService | © PHOTO FRANÇIOS WALSCHAERTS / AFP
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