3 people have been arrested as part of an ongoing criminal investigation into the smuggling of narcotics through the port of Antwerp. Among those arrested is a former Alderman from the town of Mortsel, just south of Antwerp. The Antwerp Federal Judicial Police also searched 5 properties and confiscated luxury goods, mobile phones and 9,000 euro in cash.
Former Alderman among 3 suspects arrest as part of investigation into drug smuggling through the port of Antwerp
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The 5 properties, in Mortsel, Wilrijk and the centre of Antwerp, were searched on Tuesday morning. The Antwerp prosecutor’s office spokesman Kristof Aerts told VRT News that "This is a criminal organisation that was involved in the transit of cocaine through the port of Antwerp”.
The alleged trafficking took place in in 2020 and 2021. “This all came to light thanks to information we had obtained through the Sky ECC investigation”. There were also allegedly plans to transport the drugs in concealed spaces inside vehicles.
During the property searches 3 men aged between 27 and 29 were arrested. One of them is a former Alderman that was a member of the town cabinet in Mortsel (Antwerp Province).
The suspects will be questioned and then it will be decided whether or not they will be charged.
Sky ECC
In 2021 the police announced that they had managed to crack the “uncrackable” encrypted messaging service Sky ECC.
This allowed them to read into the plans of a host of criminals, many of whom involved in drug trafficking. They were able to follow their activities for some 2 years. This has resulted in hundreds of cases being opened and thousands of suspects being identified.