A Belgian investigating judge has issued a stark warning that Belgium is “becoming a narco-state,” calling on the government to take urgent action to combat the growing influence of organised crime.
In an open letter published on the website of the Courts and Tribunals of Belgium, the anonymous judge—who serves in Antwerp, a major entry point for cocaine into Europe—writes that
extensive mafia structures have taken hold, becoming a parallel force that challenges not only the police, but also the judiciary.
The judge describes a system where criminal networks routinely bribe or threaten port workers to move drug shipments, earning vast sums for seemingly minor tasks:
Moving a container, a 10-minute job, earns €100,000, and moving a sports bag costs €50,000—sometimes times 20…. This bribery is permeating our institutions from the ground up.
The author also details the climate of fear surrounding those working in law enforcement and justice. “Several investigating judges have had to live under permanent police protection,” the judge writes, adding that they themselves spent four months in a safe house after receiving threats.
Belgian justice minister Annelies Verlinden said she “understands the investigating judge’s serious concerns” and confirmed that new measures to improve security for justice department staff are being prepared.
In recent years, Belgium has become one of the leading countries in Western Europe for cocaine smuggling and consumption, as well as crime related to the drug trade. There is a strong link between drug production and migrant gang activity.
Belgian authorities are dismantling an average of three illegal drug laboratories per month.
