As part of the Brussels Public Prosecutor's new criminal policy designed to tackle drug trafficking intensively, 14 police operations to combat drug nuisance were conducted successfully in March.
Part of the Public Prosecutor's new strategy is to hit recreational drug users in their wallets; during these 14 operations, the Brussels and federal police issued 165 on-the-spot fines – mainly for possession of narcotics.
This system of fining offenders on the spot was designed to allow suspects who were caught red-handed and acknowledged the charges against them to immediately pay a fine via a payment terminal.
"That system makes users aware of the impact of their behaviour on society," the Public Prosecutor's Office said.
Since this test phase was successful, the Brussels Public Prosecutor's Office, in collaboration with the chiefs of police of the six local police zones and with the federal police, intends to greatly increase those operations throughout the Brussels territory in the coming weeks and months.
For users with severe psychological and social problems, the Brussels Prosecutor's Office plans to set up a drug treatment room together with the two courts to provide an adapted and socially efficient response.
To this end, they have requested a register of care, guidance and support structures from safe.brussels.
