Belgium’s Battle with Organized Crime: How Cocaine Became Big Business in Europe’s Heartland

======================================================

Antwerp, once renowned as Europe’s diamond capital, has become a key hub for drug trafficking into the European Union. The city’s proximity to Brussels, the EU’s political and institutional heart, makes it an ideal location for criminals to launder their dirty money.

The Scale of the Problem

Customs officers in Antwerp have seized over 110,000 kilograms of cocaine in the past year alone, with UN figures suggesting that organized crime networks are raking in €130 billion annually from the trade. The majority of these consignments are then transported to the Netherlands, where they are broken down into smaller quantities and sold on the streets.

Government Response

Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne has likened organized crime to terrorism, stating that it is a “very tough fight.” Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister, he has also spoken out about the need for increased cooperation between EU member states to tackle the issue.

Meanwhile, across the border in the Netherlands, mayors of Amsterdam and Rotterdam have written to the government urging tougher action against organized drug crime. They warn that the issue has grown to mafia-like proportions, weakening the country’s democratic legal system.

Insufficient Efforts

Efforts to curb the problem so far have been deemed insufficient, with concerns mounting about the influence of dirty money on EU institutions. The recent Qatargate scandal, in which MEPs accepted cash bribes from Qatar, has raised alarm bells about the vulnerability of European politics to corruption.

The Need for Cooperation

The EU’s new Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) is seen as a step in the right direction, but critics are calling for more action to be taken. Cross-border policing and investigations are costly and labor-intensive, and there is a need for greater cooperation between member states to tackle the issue head-on.

The Future of European Politics

As one journalist has noted, “Who’s to say organized crime won’t seek influence in Brussels? Where does it stop?” The answer lies in increased cooperation and a willingness to take on the transnational crime gangs that are increasingly infiltrating Western European democracies.