A well-known former lawyer is among 9 people that have been detained in an investigation into the activities of a drug smuggling gang. The daily ‘De Standaard' reports that Pol Vandemeulebroucke was among those detained after detectives searched a total of 13 properties. 3 of the 9 people detained have been formally arrested, 1 person has been released and 5 others, including Mr Vandemeulebroucke are yet to appear before the examining magistrate.
Last week detectives from the Federal Judicial Police searched properties in Mortsel, Antwerpen, Heist-op-den-Berg, Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-Waver, Nijlen, Stabroek, Hoogstraten (all Antwerp Province) Temse, Beveren and Moerbeke (all East Flanders) and Vilvoorde. Vilvoorde, Temse. This resulted in 9 people being takern in for questioning.
Among those detained is the well-known former lawyer, Pol Vandemeulebroucke. He is suspected of having acted as a go-between and provided logistical support to enable the smuggling of large quantitiers of cocaine from South America into Europe. Last year the Court of Appeal acquitted Mr Vandemeulebroucke of being a member of a drug gang. At his initial trial he had been given an 18-month sentence. However, the Court of Appeal in Antwerp ruled that the evidence against him had been gathered incorrectly. In 2022 he was convicted and sentenced to a year in prison for his involvement in an Albanian drug gang.
3 suspects have been formally arrested on suspicion of membership of a criminal organisation and trafficking in narcotics. 5 others, including Mr Vandemeulebroucke, have yet to appear before the examining. In the interest of the investigation, the federal public prosecutor's office is not providing any further information for the time being.