The trial against an international drug gang has been adjourned for at least seven weeks a recusal requests were filed following incidents that occurred in court last Thursday.
Trial of international drug gang postponed after dispute between judges and lawyers
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On Thursday of last week, the session was abruptly stopped after two lawyers were removed from the courtroom by police. In the meantime, the defence has submitted a total of 7 recusal requests. At least one of these has been filed against the judge that ordered the lawyers’ removal from the courtroom.
The chief suspect in the case is 39-year-old Flor Bressers. He is being tried alongside the Brazilian Sergio Roberto de Carvalho and more than 30 other defendants. Mr Bressers and Mr De Carvalho are suspected have having led a drug-smuggling network that imported large quantities of cocaine from South America into Europe.
The trial was to have been held in the West Flemish city of Bruges but was moved to the high security courthouse on the former NATO site in Brussels security reasons. It has now been adjourned until 12 November. However, it is far from clear whether it will be able to restart then.
3.2 tonnes of cocaine
The trial is the result of an investigation that began in 2020 after police seized 3.2 tonnes of cocaine at the Dutch port of Rotterdam. The drugs were concealed inside a container that had been shipped to Rotterdam from Brazil. The container was destined for a wastewater treatment company in the port of Antwerp. The wastewater company is suspected of being used as a front for drug trafficking into Antwerp. Antwerp is currently the main entry point in Europe for cocaine from South America.
A total of 38 suspects were arrested in Belgium, Brazil, Spain and Dubai. Flor Bressers was detained in Zurich in February 2022. He was extradited to Belgium in autumn 2022. Sergio Roberto de Carvalho was arrested in Hungary in 2023 and has been held in custody on remand here in Belgium.