Kortrijk (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Atropine was discovered in a white powder enclosed in the letter when it reached the Kortrijk courthouse ten days earlier. The medical community employs such material as a regular component, yet it poses little risk to human health. An employee opened the letter, which led to exposure to white powder.
White powder inside a letter revealed itself to be the pharmaceutical compound atropine, which was delivered to the Kortrijk courthouse on April 14. A worker opened the letter before physicians began safety protocols after getting exposed to the powder.
The Kortrijk courthouse police station received a letter containing suspicious powder on April 14 during morning hours. The female staff member was conducting letter-opening procedures when she encountered contents inside the package. The preliminary examination showed no major issues, so authorities decided to activate the ‘anthrax procedure’ as a protective measure. Special protective gear assisted the employee who received the letter as emergency responders evacuated the entire courthouse building to transfer them to the hospital.
“It is a medicine that is only available on prescription, but it can also be ordered online,”
Says public prosecutor’s office spokesman Tom Janssens.
Who sent the letter and why is not yet clear.
“The judicial investigation is still in full swing.”
What is the history of powder and chemical incidents in the Kortrijk and Belgian Region?
Belgium has experienced a significant rise in official buildings suffering from suspicious powder letters and chemical exposures throughout the Kortrijk region and the entire territory. The occurrence of these events has led to stronger security measures, while people question both chemical safety and attackers who try to contaminate areas.
Last year at Kortrijk courthouse, authorities experienced their latest suspicious powder letter event, which remains the only recorded case in their history. Other Belgian cities besides Kortrijk show trends of poisonous letter incidents, including Brussels.
The analysis confirmed that the substance was brucine, which poses a danger through ingestion. The emergency response involved both decontamination procedures and patient isolation, yet no one needed hospitalisation, and every person affected remained healthy. Multiple branches of law enforcement continue their investigation to identify who sent the packages and the reasons behind these attacks.
Since December 2024, such threats have become more common as four envelopes containing suspicious powder arrived at Belgian government buildings in short succession. Medical experts discovered rat poison during the investigation of a particular incident. The procedures included immediate isolation followed by decontamination steps and occasional short-term hospital checks without reporting serious injuries.
In addition to the risk from targeted powder letters, chemical exposure presents broader occupational risks throughout Belgium. The study conducted by the Belgian Federal Public Service Employment Labour, and Social Dialogue showed that chemical substances contact two out of every five Belgian workers during their professional duties. Such widespread workplace exposure mandates organisations to implement stringent safety measures and monitoring programs, particularly when hazardous substances exist within their workspaces.
Deliberate administrations of dangerous substances have become the focus of Kortrijk region criminal investigations. A total of 41 female victims of drink-spiking incidents have been reported throughout Kortrijk’s nightlife area between December 2021 and December 2024, when perpetrators used ketamine and other drugs.
The ongoing criminal investigation has resulted in multiple arrests, while also raising public awareness of chemical safety standards in both public and private areas.
