Belgian justice minister Vincent Van Quickenborne (Flemish liberal) says the Belgian judicial authorities are doing everything they can to track down and punish drug criminals. Mr Van Quickenborne is responding to criticism from the Mayor of Antwerp, Bart De Wever (Flemish nationalist), following the death of an 11-year-old girl in an attack that is believed to be a settling of accounts among drug traffickers.
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Antwerp drug war: “Violence the result of success in cornering organised crime” says PM
Colin Clapson
Published:
“Prosecutors and the police are doing their utmost to track down those responsible. Last year over 80 acts of violence were committed in Antwerp. Regularly those responsible are being arrested and convicted. Today they fill a whole wing of Antwerp prison. To be clear: we’re not only talking about the culprits but also those who commission these atrocities”.
The justice minister points to the police hacking of an illegal telephone network that provided police with a clear picture of the activities of the drug maffia. “We are on their case,” said Van Quickenborne. “The justice department is showing its teeth. A special extra drugs section is being added in Antwerp this year to speed up prosecutions. A special prosecutor for the port will start with a team of 15 people. Staff at the federal judicial police have been expanded with 15% more officers since the start of this parliament”.
Belgian interior minister Annelies Verlinden (Flemish Christian democrat) claims to possess information showing action taken against those responsible for drug violence has created panic among drug traffickers: “Still we need to go further. All those involved need to work closely together. This is why I have contacted Mayor De Wever. We’ve agreed to meet soonest”.
Meanwhile Belgian premier Alexander De Croo (Flemish liberal) has asked those in authority not to start blaming each other: “A girl has died as a result of a war she was not involved in. The fight against organised crime is an absolute priority for the justice department and the police”. The premier also points to the police hacking of the encrypted Sky ECC telephone network used by criminals: “This is one of the reasons we are succeeding in tackling organised crime. We are succeeding, but when the judicial authorities corner organised criminals’ violence too increases”.