Prosecutors say a police operation of unprecedented scale has been taking place across the country. Some 200 searches took place with the main focus on a major cocaine smuggling hub.
Police in Belgium launched a huge operation against drug traffickers on Tuesday morning.
Belgium's federal prosecutor's office said searches had been launched at around 5 a.m. local time and involved more than 1,500 police officers.
Local broadcaster RTBF said the raids were taking place mainly in the region of Antwerp, with investigators focusing on drug traffickers and a network with international connections.
The operation was said to be "one of the largest operations ever organized on Belgian territory" in terms of the number of officers involved.
Key route for cocaine into the EU
With thousands of containers reaching Antwerp — Europe's second-biggest port — each day, the city is one of the main entry points to the continent for cocaine.
Trafficking there has lately resulted in a surge of violence, with gun battles and grenade attacks increasingly common.
Authorities in Belgium and three other countries last year dismantled a criminal drug trafficking network that shipped hundreds of millions of dollars-worth of cocaine into the country.
The latest probe was launched when a container with 2.8 tons of cocaine was found last year in Antwerp. It revealed an international network with connections in at least four European countries and South America.
rc/rt (AP, AFP)
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Belgium: Police swoop on organized crime in drugs sting - DW (English)
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