The Federal Judicial Police in East Flanders has detained 7 people and confiscated more than 30kg of drugs. The investigation into the drug gang got under way after parcel containing cannabis and hashish were intercepted at a postal sorting office. 4 of the people detained have since been formally arrested. Two suspects believed to be the masterminds behind the drug smuggling operation will be sent to Belgium by the Judicial Authorities in the Czech Republic.
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East Flemish drug gang detained after parcels containing drugs are intercepted at sorting office
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The parcels that were intercepted had been sent to Belgium from Spain. They were addressed to a woman in Drongen, near Ghent (East Flanders). The woman’s brother, who lives in Nazereth (also East Flanders) had also received and collected parcels containing drugs.
Patrick Willocx of the East Flemish Federal Judicial Police told VRT News that this turned the spotlight onto one family: a father, a daughter and two sons. "They probably often collected parcels filled with drugs that were send by post or brought by lorry from Spain”.
The family is already known to have imported more than 4 tonnes of drugs into Belgium inside more than 400 parcels.
Behind the drug smuggling opperation is a Chinese criminal gang. The family passed on the parcels containing the drugs to the gang. The gang members are people of Chinese descent that live here in Belgium.
A total of 10 properties were searched. Two members of the gang were found in the Czech Republic. The police here are cooperating closely with their Czech and Spanish colleagues. One suspect has already been sent to Belgium, another two will follow. In addition to the 30kg of drugs seized, 40,000 euro in cash was also confiscated when the properties were searched.