A court in the East Flemish city of Ghent has convicted 10 members of an international drugs gang. They smuggled drugs concealed among consignments of fruit juice from South America. The members of the gang were arrested in 2022. The East Flemish Courts’ spokesman Peter Catthoor told VRT News that “The gang was highly professional and smuggled consignments of drugs aboard ships from Brazil. Port workers involved in the smuggling operation retrieved the drugs so that they could be sold here in Europe.
Detectives tracked down the gang after a routine check in 2021, during which 50 boxes containing 10 blocks of cocaine were intercepted on a ship. They were found among a shipment of paper and fruit juice. A total of half a tonne of cocaine was found. An inspection revealed that one barrel of fruit juice had disappeared from the ship.
Detectives were able to trace the lost shipment via a wiretap. 114 1kg blocks of cocaine were delivered to a gang member in Wetteren. The investigation revealed that at least 25kg of the drug had already been smuggled in.
Street value of 26 million euro
Further information was gathered on the gang and its operations. Investigators learned that another large shipment from South America would arrive at the port of Ghent in January 2022. Following this several properties were searched and 481 blocks of cocaine were found, one of which was among a shipment of fruit juice.
The members of the gang received custodial sentences of up to 8 years. "The leaders received prison sentences of 8 to 4 years. Other gang members received shorter sentences, some suspended. Two other members were given community service for forging documents and laundering drug money” the East Flemish Courts’ spokesman Peter Catthoor told VRT News.