Belgium Grapples with Organized Crime Threats

The Escalating Menace

Belgium is facing an escalating threat from organized crime groups involved in drug trafficking, arms trafficking, human smuggling, and money laundering. Despite its reputation for good governance and commitment to human rights, the country has struggled to contain the spread of criminal networks.

Turkish and Dutch Organized Crime Groups

According to law enforcement officials, Turkish organized criminal groups are a significant concern, with their involvement in all aspects of drug trafficking, including cannabis production, import, and export, cocaine production and export, and synthetic drugs export. Dutch organized crime groups, meanwhile, have been linked to human trafficking, sexual exploitation, and labor exploitation.

Domestic Mafia-Style Groups

In Belgium itself, mafia-style groups, including biker gangs, are believed to be involved in arms and drug trafficking, as well as sexual exploitation. There is also evidence of collaboration with Spanish criminal groups, and concerns that these groups may have overlapping membership with lower-level state institutions.

Sophisticated Command Structures and Exploitation

The highly sophisticated command structures of foreign organized crime groups make them well-suited to adapt to changes and exploit economic and social vulnerabilities. In recent years, Belgium has seen a rise in xenophobia, which is being exploited by some criminal groups.

Combating the Threat

To combat the growing threat, Belgium has taken measures to improve its legal framework and law enforcement capabilities. The country has ratified various international conventions against organized crime and participates in regional cooperation bodies such as Europol and Interpol.

• The judiciary is fully independent, with a dedicated section for organized crime within the federal public prosecutor’s office.
• The country has an integrated police service that works together to provide law enforcement, including specialized units for human trafficking, smuggling, drug trafficking, arms trafficking, and other organized crime activities.

Challenges and Vulnerabilities

However, despite these efforts, Belgium remains vulnerable to organized crime due to its location on major trafficking routes and the lack of sufficient resources to deal with organized crime at different levels. The country’s cyber-security infrastructure has also been compromised, leaving it vulnerable to cyber-infiltration.

National Action Plan and Civil Society Initiatives

The government has launched a range of initiatives to combat organized crime, including a national action plan and specific plans targeting human trafficking, human smuggling, and drug trafficking. Civil society plays an important role in providing support services to vulnerable groups, but press freedom has retreated due to increasing police violence and online hate against journalists.

Conclusion

As the country continues to grapple with the threat of organized crime, it is clear that a sustained effort will be required to combat this complex and evolving problem.