Dutch and Moroccan Nationals Implicated in Surge of Drug Arrests at Antwerp Port

In Belgium, the fight against drug trafficking is an endless battle. In just the first four months of 2025, authorities arrested 131 people suspected of extracting drugs, compared to 128 for the entire year of 2024, reports NOS. And, the Netherlands leads in drug-related arrests in Antwerp. Of the 131 people arrested, 58 of them are Dutch, according to the maritime police, adding that 47 other suspects are Belgian nationals. The others come mainly from France, Albania, and Morocco.

According to the police, it is now increasingly young people who are designated for drug trafficking in the Netherlands. As proof, since the beginning of the year, 31 minors have been arrested. In March, eight Dutch nationals were apprehended while trying to remove drugs from containers. Among them was a 13-year-old teenager, the youngest suspect arrested to date, it is specified.

Besides Antwerp, the port of Rotterdam has long been facing the same type of drug extraction activity. Unlike Antwerp, the number of arrests has significantly decreased in the Dutch city. According to Dutch authorities, part of the drug trafficking may have shifted to other countries, including Belgium.