Kortrijk (Brussels Morning Newspaper): Eleven women have come forward saying they were drugged in Kortrijk’s Reynaertstraat nightlife area after drinking almond-flavored shots. Four suspects have been arrested. Lawyer Jan Leysen helps the victims by reminding them that they are not alone. CafĂ© owner Dieter De Clerca is training his staff to keep customers safe.
Eleven women have come forward with similar stories about incidents in Kortrijk’s nightlife district, specifically in Reynaertstraat. They say they were offered drinks, often shots with an almond flavor, and then experienced blackouts. When they woke up the next day, they had severe headaches, nausea, and no memory of what happened. Many also noticed bruises and bleeding, suggesting they may have been assaulted. Tests revealed they had been given ketamine, a drug that can cause memory loss in high doses. The public prosecutor’s office believes there could be more victims and is investigating further.
How are Kortrijk’s nightlife drugging incidents affecting victims and local businesses?
Lawyer Jan Leysen is helping three victims of recent incidents in Kortrijk. He says they don’t know each other but support one another and feel better knowing they are not alone. Leysen reminds them that they did nothing wrong and that the perpetrator is to blame. The public prosecutor’s office thinks there may not be a gang but a trend of incidents. Four suspects have been arrested in connection with these cases.
Dieter De Clercq, the owner of Café 56 in Reynaertstraat, said he is shocked by recent events. He mentioned that he had heard warnings but didn’t know the full story yet. He feels this is a sad situation for their street. To help, he is training his staff on how to deal with these issues and making sure they can support customers. They have put up posters to inform people about what to do if they are being bothered and extra careful, even though he hasn’t seen anything strange himself.
