Belgian Police Carry Out Large-Scale Operation To Fight Drug Smuggling - Reports

Belgian Police Carry Out Large-Scale Operation to Fight Drug Smuggling - Reports

The Belgium police are conducting a large-scale operation against organized crime across the country, targeting those involved in drug trafficking, with numerous arrests already made in course of the operation, the RTBF broadcaster reported, citing sources

BRUSSELS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 09th March, 2021) The Belgium police are conducting a large-scale operation against organized crime across the country, targeting those involved in drug trafficking, with numerous arrests already made in course of the operation, the RTBF broadcaster reported, citing sources.

According to the broadcaster, the operation has been underway since Tuesday morning and involves over 1,500 police officers and special forces units.

The police have already carried out 200 searches across the country, detaining not only those who are suspected of being directly involved in drug trafficking but also those who assisted them in their criminal activities, RTBF reported.

In the port city of Antwerp alone, 65.48 tonnes of cocaine were seized over the past year. According to the authorities, there has been an annual increase in the smuggling of the drug since 2013.

In early November last year, the Belgian police said it seized 11.5 tonnes of cocaine in five shipping containers at the Antwerp port � the world's largest shipment of drugs from abroad with the estimated cost of 450 million Euros ($535.3 million).