Antwerp is arming itself against cocaine smugglers

Antwerp The port of Antwerp lies on the Scheldt like a giant octopus. The numerous side arms allow incoming container ships to be processed at the same time. At 150 square kilometers, it is the largest port in Europe in terms of area – more than twice the size of the Port of Hamburg.

However, the expansion has a decisive disadvantage: international drug cartels use the confusing terrain to smuggle their cocaine imports onto the European market. Seamless monitoring is impossible, explains Stephan Legein, deputy head of the Belgian customs authority. All streets in the port are open to the public. The smugglers could climb over fences in the dark and get their goods out of the containers unnoticed.

Legein is standing in the port next to pallets full of crates of bananas. Tropical fruit containers are a popular place to hide cocaine. Because the perishable goods arrive in Europe in large quantities and have to be transshipped quickly. There is not much time for checks.

Customs seized more than 100 tons of cocaine for the first time

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