Genk (Brussels Morning Newspaper): In early 2023, police in Genk arrested a drug gang, seizing €54,000 and new phones. In September, five members were convicted, and two brothers received three years in prison.
In early 2023, police caught members of a drug gang in Genk during an operation in the Zwartberg area. They found gang members in a parked car with a bag containing almost 54,000 euros in cash. The trunk also had several new mobile phones, believed to be used for their illegal activities.
What were the court outcomes for the drug gang involved with minors?
Police busted a large drug gang after they served over 2,000 customers. They mainly sold cannabis and cocaine, earning an estimated 900,000 euros from their illegal activities. The gang’s big customer base, large amounts of cash, and new phones caught the attention of investigators, leading to their arrest.
In September 2023, gang members went to court in Tongeren. Their lawyers argued that the legal papers were wrong, saying the gang should only be charged for drug crimes involving minors. The judge agreed and let them go free. The public prosecutor didn’t accept this and appealed. The Antwerp Court of Appeal decided that having a minor involved in drug crimes is serious, no matter if the minor was part of the gang. They also said the legal papers were fine.
The court decided that the gang members were not only charged for drug crimes with minors. They found enough proof against 5 out of 7 members. Two brothers got 3 years in prison, with some time off, while a third brother was given 40 months. Another brother had to do 250 hours of community service. Their father got 3 months for having bullets, and their mother was not guilty.
