Prosecutors in Halle-Vilvoorde have demanded a 36-month prison sentence for a 27-year-old Chinese man caught with 11 kilograms of ketamine in his suitcase.
The man intended to take the drugs to Hong Kong, not bring them into Belgium. According to his lawyer, he believed the substances were nutritional supplements.
He was stopped at Brussels Airport on 2 December while travelling with his wife to Hong Kong. Both were detained, but ultimately only the man was prosecuted.
"The couple was travelling in Belgium, and the man was approached in Antwerp by an unknown individual asking him to take ‘gifts’ to family in Hong Kong," said the prosecutor.
"We have security footage from the hotel showing a car with Dutch number plates delivering the package."
The prosecutor added that this case clearly involves drug smuggling within a criminal organisation.
Ketamine is currently the most popular drug in China, selling for €25 per gram, and 11 kilograms would fetch a substantial amount.
Defence counsel sought an acquittal, arguing the man has a stable job in China and a pregnant wife, making it unlikely he would take such a risk given the harsher drug penalties there.
He accepted the items, believing they were nutritional supplements for the requester’s grandmother, as his own grandmother uses similar products.
The verdict will be delivered on 9 April.
