Vilvoorde (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Mayor Jo De Ro closed Royal Lounge in Vilvoorde for 6 months after police linked it to a drug gang using Sky ECC. 14 arrests followed 21 raids on July 9, 2025.
As VRT News reported, in Vilvoorde, Mayor Jo De Ro (Open VLD/CD&V) closed the Royal Lounge shisha bar. Police say criminals used the bar to plan drug deals. The suspects often met there to talk about cocaine smuggling.
The Halle-Vilvoorde prosecutor and federal police discovered this. They read secret messages sent through Sky ECC. The group smuggled cocaine through Zaventem airport and the port of Antwerp.
What led to the closure of the Royal Lounge in Vilvoorde after a major drug bust?
Police have found a drug gang that brings cocaine into Belgium. The drugs came through Brussels Airport and the Port of Antwerp. They mentioned that some workers at these places may have helped the smugglers. They may have let the drugs pass without checks.
The gang used phones and local places to plan their crimes. As a result, the mayor closed the Royal Lounge. He did this to stop more crime and keep people safe. The police are still investigating the case. They think more people will be arrested soon.
Police found that cocaine was brought into Belgium from Ghana and the Dominican Republic. The group used both air and sea to move the drugs. They brought in large amounts without getting caught. Many people helped with the smuggling. They worked together to hide the drugs. They found ways to pass security checks.
On Tuesday, July 9th, 2025, the Federal Judicial Police in Halle-Vilvoorde carried out big raids in a drug case. They searched 21 places in different parts of Belgium. Police arrested 14 people during these raids. 12 of them were brought before the investigating judge.
After the talks with the judge, 8 people were sent to jail with arrest warrants. 2 were allowed to go home, but with rules they must follow. The last 2 were let go without any rules. Police think more people may be part of the group. They plan to keep working on the case and expect to take more action soon.
“The mayor has decided to close the building for the maximum legal period, six months,”
reports the Vilvoorde city council.
“Mayor De Ro made this decision based on the seriousness of the incident and its impact on public order in his city.”
The Royal Lounge in Vilvoorde had been on the radar of police for a while. Officials mentioned that across Belgium, more bars and shops are being used by gangs to help with smuggling. Police are now closing these spots to stop crime from growing. In this case, the bar was linked to a bigger network that brings cocaine into the country.
A few years ago, police broke into a special phone system called Sky ECC. It was made to keep messages secret, but police cracked the code. That helped them see what criminals were planning. Since then, many raids have taken place. This has led to many arrests and more action against drug crime.
