The trial of 15 defendants accused of involvement in drug trafficking, most of them residing in Brussels Region, began in Monday in the Walloon Brabant Criminal Court.
The investigation began on 22 June 2021, when a deliveryman from the network was intercepted on the E411 motorway while carrying 62 packs of cocaine and nearly €1,000 in cash.
Phone taps and tracing led to the discovery by the network investigators of 15 kg of cocaine, 65 kg of cannabis and over 4,000 ecstasy pills on searching a hut.
The prosecution has called for sentences of up to six years’ imprisonment. Defence lawyers will plead on 20 February.
Some defendants were convicted in France after being intercepted on a 'Go Fast' between Brussels and Paris with three kgs of cocaine hidden in a cache set up inside a car. Another was caught in the Netherlands while transporting cutting material.
The searches also found weapons of war stashed in the home of the sister of one of the defendants.
At Monday’s hearing, two sentences of six years in prison, one of five years and another of fifty months were requested, with fines of up to €40,000. The total amount of money the prosecution is asking to be confiscated from the group is €400,000.
Monday’s court session was devoted to hearing the defendants and the prosecution’s submissions. Defence lawyers plead on 20 February.
