Antwerp (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Rotterdam Mayor Carola Schouten and Antwerp Mayor Els van Doesburg discussed rising drug crimes, youth protection, and cross-border cocaine trafficking; predecessors Aboutaleb and De Wever intercepted major shipments.
As VRT News reported, Rotterdam Mayor Carola Schouten (Christian Union) visited Antwerp City Hall to meet with her counterpart, Els van Doesburg (N-VA). They discussed the main challenges both cities face, focusing on public safety and drug-related violence.
Officials mentioned that Schouten has extensive political experience. She served as Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands until last spring, responsible for Agriculture and Pensions. She has been the mayor of Rotterdam for one year. Van Doesburg is new to politics but wants to learn from Schouten’s experience. She also said Antwerp and Rotterdam can work together more closely.
Els van Doesburg:
“I was pleasantly surprised that we share similar views on many issues. We can also do a lot together, especially when it comes to safety.”
What are Rotterdam and Antwerp doing to fight drug crime?
They mentioned that both cities face a growing problem with drug-related crimes. Residents have been exposed to serious attacks, including firebombs thrown at homes. Police have arrested many suspects. Most are young, including Dutch youths from Rotterdam. The mayors stressed that while the ports compete economically, the cities can join forces to fight crime.
Mayor Carola Schouten said she is aware of the drug-related problems in both Rotterdam and Antwerp.
“We have to make sure that young people do not fall for quick money and risk a criminal record or prison,”
she said. Schouten and Antwerp Mayor Els van Doesburg agreed that preventing youth from entering criminal networks is a top priority. Both mayors said they are committed to keeping young people safe and reducing the impact of organised crime in their cities.
“We must ensure that young people do not fall for the quick money and risk a criminal record and imprisonment.”
Carola Schouten (Christian Union), mayor of Rotterdam
Their predecessors, Ahmed Aboutaleb from the Dutch Labour Party and Bart De Wever from the New Flemish Alliance, also worked closely on fighting drug trafficking. Despite their political differences, they found common ground. Aboutaleb and De Wever even travelled together to South American countries where cocaine is produced to stop shipments before they reach Europe.
Schouten and Van Doesburg have not yet planned any joint trips abroad, but have not ruled them out. They stressed that any future travel would be focused on security work, not leisure.
“It will not be a pleasure trip to Ibiza,”
they said.
In early 2024, the mayors of Rotterdam, Antwerp, and Hamburg launched a joint effort to fight drug-related crime linked to cocaine trafficking in Europe. The move came after record drug seizures at major ports. In 2023, Antwerp seized 116 tonnes of cocaine, the Netherlands 59.1 tonnes, and Germany 35 tonnes, much of it coming from South American countries like Colombia, Panama, and Ecuador.
To tackle the problem, the mayors visited Colombia, Panama, and Costa Rica in 2022 to strengthen international cooperation and stop shipments at the source. In February 2024, Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa met the mayors in Quito to discuss joint strategies against drug trafficking from Ecuadorian ports. These efforts have helped intercept large shipments before they reach Europe.
