Belgium’s Battle Against Organized Crime: Foreign Actors Play a Significant Role

The Complexity of Organized Crime in Belgium

A recent report has highlighted the presence of foreign actors in Belgium’s organized crime landscape, with Balkan groups collaborating with Italian mafias and Turkish criminal organizations in drug trafficking, arms smuggling, and human trafficking. Dutch organized crime groups are also involved in all aspects of drug trafficking, including cannabis production and export, while Romanian groups focus on human trafficking and labor exploitation.

Biker Gangs and Spanish Collaborations

Belgium has its own mafia-style groups, including biker gangs that engage in criminal activities such as arms and drug trafficking. There is also evidence of collaboration with Spanish criminal groups, raising concerns about overlapping membership with lower-level state institutions.

Private Sector Involvement Limited

While private sector actors are not significantly involved in criminal markets, there have been reports of money laundering schemes in Dubai through the real estate sector. State-embedded actors in Belgium reportedly play a minimal role in organized crime, although recent cases have been reported.

Government Efforts to Combat Organized Crime

The Belgian government has recognized organized crime as a significant issue and has taken measures to combat it. The country has ratified international conventions against organized crime and participates in regional cooperation bodies such as Europol and Interpol. A National Security Strategy was adopted in 2022, which includes the fight against organized crime as a national priority.

Criminal Justice System

Belgium’s judiciary is fully independent and guarantees due process in criminal trials. The country has an integrated police service that works together to provide law enforcement, with federal and local levels detecting and investigating criminal organizations. However, both the federal and local police are understaffed and face budget constraints.

Economic and Financial Environment

Belgium has a solid legal framework to combat money laundering, but there have been concerns about prioritizing predicate offenses over money laundering. A new collaborative platform against money laundering has been launched to address this issue.

Belgium has policies in place to assist victims of human trafficking and punish perpetrators. The country also implements preventive strategies to combat organized crime, including plans targeting human trafficking, drug trafficking, and other criminal activities. Civil society plays an important role in providing support services to vulnerable groups, but press freedom has retreated due to police violence and online hate.

Conclusion

Belgium’s struggle against organized crime is a complex issue, with foreign actors playing a significant role in the country’s criminal landscape. While the government has taken steps to combat organized crime, there are still concerns about the effectiveness of these efforts. Civil society plays an important role in supporting victims of human trafficking and providing services to vulnerable groups. However, press freedom remains a concern due to police violence and online hate.