Antwerp (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – On Generaal Belliardstraat in Antwerp, a drug dealer was caught in the street. As he rode a scooter on his flight, he appeared to look back behind him and then unknowingly rode into the arms of the police.
An Antwerp police officer caught a 24-year old drug dealer after a pursuit on a scooter ended with an unexpected crash with the officer. Perminge describes the incident as happening on Generaal Belliardstraat, where the suspect rode right into another officer after being distracted by looking back behind him as pursuing officers drew near. A search after that turned up four bags of cocaine in his possession. Further investigations revealed drugs, cash and mobile phones at his residence, which were later seized.
On Thursday, the 24-year-old suspected of murder had been observed loitering at the building on Generaal Belliardstraat in Antwerp that had been flagged for drug complaints in the past. The man spotted the police and tried to flee on his scooter, failing to notice an officer ahead in his line of vision, and hit him.
In his pocket, four bags of cocaine were found in a search. Another individual was identified by authorities, although it was not known if this person, who was said to have tried to buy drugs from the suspect, fit that description. A raid on the suspect’s home a short while later yielded 17.7 grams of cocaine, 1.8 grams of marijuana, €510 in cash, and two mobile phones. The suspect was brought before an investigating judge.
What is the history of drug-related crime in Antwerp?
The Port of Antwerp served as a major European drug trafficking port and its docks functioned as vital cocaine import locations. The Port of Antwerp saw 116 tons of cocaine intercepted in 2023, which marked a history-making seizure along with a 12% upward trend from the preceding year.
The rise in street-level drug dealing in the city has also been seen, particularly in Generaal Belliardstraat, where police have heard more noise complaints over drug-related nuisance. Local law enforcement says Antwerp’s police arrested more than 1,200 people on drug-related charges in 2023, and a big chunk were small-time dealers peddling on scooters for speedy getaways.
There has also been growth in the use of digital communication in drug transactions, and mobile phones are integral to coordinating deals. It is part of a broader crackdown by Belgian authorities against both large-scale smuggling networks and local distribution chains.
