Borgerhout (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Antwerp police seized 2 tons of cocaine in Borgerhout and Bowel, arresting 3 Albanian men. The case began with 9 kg found in Deurne in June 2025.
As GVA News reported, Antwerp police have carried out the largest drug seizure in Borgerhout, in the province of Antwerp, Belgium and Bouwl. The 3 suspects, all men of Albanian descent, appeared in front of the council chamber on Monday, Sep 1, 2025, which confirmed their arrests and kept them in custody. Police continue their investigation and are collecting evidence.
What led Antwerp police to seize 2 tons of cocaine in Borgerhout and Bouwel?
The case started in early June 2025, when traffic officers stopped a man on Luchthavenlei in Deurne. The 35-year-old used a fake ID, which raised immediate suspicion. Police discovered he was transporting 9 kilograms of cocaine in his vehicle.
Detectives then began a detailed investigation. They traced 2 addresses connected to the suspect, one in Borgerhout and another in Bowel (Grobbendonk). The investigation revealed a network involved in moving cocaine across locations.
The investigation intensified on August 27, 2025, when officers saw a van moving repeatedly between the 2 properties. In Borgerhout, the van was seen unloading multiple boxes, which led police to act. The SWAT unit arrested the driver, and detectives searched both the van and the residence. Authorities seized more than a ton of cocaine, a quantity usually linked to port smuggling.
Shortly after the raid in Borgerhout, Antwerp police moved on to the second property in Bowel (Grobbendonk). Officers found another ton of cocaine inside the building. During the search, 2 people present were arrested, and police seized thousands of euros in cash.
A similar large-scale drug seizure occurred in Antwerp in March 2022, when police discovered nearly 1.5 tons of cocaine hidden in a warehouse near the Port of Antwerp. The operation involved multiple raids across the city, and 4 men were arrested during the investigation. Authorities also seized thousands of euros in cash and vehicles connected to the trafficking network.
