Belgian Money Laundering Ring Bust: Five Suspects Arrested in Antwerp and Surrounding Areas
In a significant crackdown on money laundering, the Antwerp Public Prosecutor’s office announced the arrest of five suspects last week as part of an ongoing investigation.
Arrests and Seizures
Authorities carried out searches in Antwerp, Brasschaat, Stabroek, Vorst, and Knokke-Heist. The operation resulted in the seizure of:
- Ten vehicles
- €700,000 in cash
- Rolex watches worth approximately €1 million
Items confiscated also included weapons. The estimated ill-gotten gains from money laundering were €9.5 million.
Money Laundering Activities
This Case dates back to 2020 when Belgian law enforcement received information about a 46-year-old man laundering large sums of money. The man was reportedly involved in the import of cocaine and dealings with multinational oil companies. He allegedly laundered funds through several of his companies and a network of accomplices.
The suspect also provided services to criminal organizations looking to extract cocaine consignments from containers at the port of Antwerp. Additionally, authorities suspect he laundered money from multinational oil companies through a system of false contracts and invoices. The money was then channeled to his own companies and offshore accounts in the United Arab Emirates and Bulgaria.
Background and Coordinated Efforts
The man had been under investigation since 2020 for money laundering, forgery, and criminal organization activities. In a coordinated effort, similar operations were carried out in Switzerland and the UK at the request of the Belgian authorities.
Suspects and Charges
The suspects, aged between 33 and 51, were presented to a Belgian investigating judge on the charges of money laundering, forgery, and criminal organization. One suspect was conditionally released, while four others were placed under an arrest warrant.
Insights
Kristof Aerts, spokesperson for the Public Prosecutor’s office, commented on the extensive money laundering network, stating, “Data from the Sky ECC messaging system provided valuable information on this extensive money laundering network.”