It’s feared that an Antwerp restaurant has been the target of a settling of accounts among drug dealers in the northern port city. The entire ground floor of the restaurant has been destroyed by fire. Shortly before the blaze local residents heard a loud bang.
Former basketball star Willy Steveniers currently runs the restaurant with relatives. One of his sons is now one of the main accused in a major international drugs investigation.
Wouter Bruyns of Antwerp police: “We are investigating the context of the fire. Forensic scientists and the army bomb squad attended the scene”.
It’s unclear whether there is any link to drug trafficking. Two suspects, who may be linked to the attack, have been stopped during a police check on a suspicious vehicle. “We were able to apprehend the suspects thanks to cooperation with Dutch police” said Bruyns.
The restaurant is owned by the City of Antwerp and is run by former basket ball star Willy Steveniers and his family. Steveniers’ son was among dozens detained in 2020 as part of the Costa investigation. The suspects stand accused of involvement in cocaine smuggling from Costa Rica.