Brussels toughens fight against illegal drugs

Brussels police have beefed up the fight against illegal drugs this spring and summer, with targeted raids and arrests in the Marolles neighbourhood and the Boulevard du Midi.

The move comes in response to a call from Brussels-City mayor Yves Mayeur, who called drug dealing a “serious nuisance” to the public. “People are sick of seeing dealers on the street corner or outside their homes,” he added.

During May and June, police made 62 arrests – about one a day – on 21 different charges that were referred to magistrates and seized €44,000 in cash from drug smugglers

“The police know the area and speak to residents, which helps them pinpoint the problem area and conduct an interrogation on the spot,” an unnamed police commissioner told La Libre Belgique. “If it’s more complicated, such as drug trafficking through a private home, then we put in place a bigger operation.”

To try to keep criminals from moving their operations elsewhere, police are working closely with colleagues in other districts and with the federal police.

Photo courtesy schaerbeek.be