Criminal drug trafficking organisation dismantled

17 November 2015

The Federal Judicial Police of Leuven was able to dismantle a criminal organisation involved in international cocaine and heroin trafficking. The cocaine came from Brazil, the heroin from India. The suspects were operating from Leuven and Brussels.

Drug runners with different nationalities were hired to transport the drugs in double-bottomed travel cases or ‘in corpore’. The organisation itself purchased airline tickets, arranged accommodation in hotels or safe houses and paid all travel costs. The traffickers had contact persons who produced false documents to conceal identities and to provide couriers with the necessary travel documents.

Twelve suspects in total were brought before the Court of First Instance of Leuven. The court considered them a ‘criminal organisation’ and sentenced them to 56 years’ imprisonment in total (sentences ranging from 2 to 8 years). In addition, fines to the amount of EUR 72,000 were imposed and two cars and EUR 81,000 were confiscated.