New prosecution service to tackle organised drug crime at Antwerp port
Belgium’s Justice minister is to establish a specialist prosecution service tasked with combating organised drug crime in the Antwerp port area. Annelies Verlinden’s proposal was approved by the Council of Ministers on Friday. New funding will be allocated from 2027 for the creation of the service.
Exactly what form the new judicial authority will take and what powers the prosecutor’s office will have is unclear. According to Verlinden, however, the service is urgently needed.
The Port of Antwerp has been an “attractive target for criminal networks” for years, which “abuse the port to organise their illegal trade”, according to her cabinet. “The consequences of that trade extend far beyond the port itself,” a spokesperson said.
“The growth in the supply of cocaine on the European market undermines public health, increases security risks, disrupts the economy and damages local communities.”
Last year, Belgian courts dealt with 80 cases linked to the import of drugs via Antwerp, resulting in a total of 242 convictions and 918 years of prison sentences handed down. Over 4.6 million euros in fines, nearly 403 million euros in confiscations and 1,705 years of port bans have been imposed on those convicted.
Customs seized some 55,000kg of cocaine and 20,000kg of cannabis at the port in 2025.
In addition to the establishment of the port prosecution service, the courts and tribunals will also be strengthened, Verlinden said.
#FlandersNewsService | A federal police drone pilot at the port of Antwerp, 21 January 2026 © BELGA PHOTO JAMES ARTHUR GEKIERE
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