Belgium-UK exchange of DNA information identifies 312 Belgian suspects

Belgium has been exchanging its DNA data with the United Kingdom for use in law enforcement forensic research since 21 December of last year, a report on Monday revealed.

Since the two databases were connected, exactly 2,180 matches have been obtained and 312 Belgian suspects have been identified across the Channel, Sudpresse reported the office of Belgian justice minister Vincent Van Quickenborne as saying.

The majority of these matches concern burglaries with no less than 223 matches. This is followed by violent robberies, criminal associations, and narcotics offences.

The report also states that four Belgian traces found in connection with a murder matched with an individual already listed in the British database. "These results have been reported to the magistrates in charge of the Belgian files," the justice minister's office said.