Big drop in drug seizures at Belgium mega port

Big drop in drug seizures at Belgium mega port

ANTWERP
Big drop in drug seizures at Belgium mega port

Belgian authorities seized almost two-thirds less cocaine at the port of Antwerp last year than in 2023, a dramatic drop officials credited on Thursday to better checks in Latin America.

Belgium's customs agency said it seized 44 tons of the drug in 2024 at what is considered one of the main gateways for narcotics entering Europe, down from a record 116 tons the year before.

It was the first decline in seizures in more than a decade, said the agency's boss, Kristian Vanderwaeren.

Europe's second largest port had gotten used to breaking records in recent years, with the amounts of cocaine found hidden in containers carrying bananas, coffee and other goods exponentially increasing since 2013.

But things changed last year with a jump in drug busts at Latin American ports, Vanderwaeren said.

More than 80 tons of cocaine bound for the Belgian port were intercepted ahead of shipping in 2024, up from 45 tons in 2023, according to customs figures unveiled at a press conference.

Vanderwaeren credited Ecuador for much of the improvement.

"Since the government said 'stop' and called on the army to crack down on criminal networks, cocaine shipments have decreased," he told AFP.

Costa Rica and Peru also took measures to tackle cocaine smuggling, he added.

Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa in January last year declared "war" on transnational cartels using the country's ports to ship cocaine to the United States and Europe.

Despite the crackdown, Ecuador is still the top country of origin for cocaine arriving in Antwerp, customs said.