Luxury goods worth an estimated €100,000 and €140,000 in cash were seized by Brussels-North police on 16 September in connection with a drug trafficking investigation, local police announced on Thursday.
The investigation began in June 2024 when federal road police spotted two rental vehicles following each other closely on the E19, heading towards Antwerp from Breda, in the Netherlands. The first vehicle was intercepted and searched, revealing several boxes filled with 140 kilogrammes of marijuana. The driver, a resident of Schaerbeek, was arrested.
The second vehicle was intercepted by Vilvoorde-Machelen police. The three occupants, also from Schaerbeek, attempted to flee but were apprehended after a foot chase. They were known to the police.
The Centralised Judicial Brigade (BJC) of the Brussels-North police zone then conducted four searches at the suspects’ homes. Items linked to drug trafficking, including cannabis residue, €32,000 in cash, several mobile phones, three luxury watches, and luxury leather goods, were found.
The ongoing investigation enabled the BJC to identify two individuals suspected of channelling the proceeds of drug trafficking, and three additional searches were carried out on 16 September.
Luxury leather goods, mobile phones, jewellery, and luxury watches valued at an estimated €100,000 were seized, while €140,000 was seized from various bank accounts.
