By Justin Jin (justin@justinjin.com)
Antwerp is no longer just a global trade hub—it’s the heart of Europe’s cocaine pipeline. The Belgian port, the second busiest in Europe, has become the primary gateway for South American drug cartels, flooding the continent with record-breaking shipments. In 2022 alone, authorities seized 110 tons of cocaine, a new high that barely scratches the surface of what gets through.
Just across the border, Rotterdam, Europe’s largest port, faces a similar crisis. Together, Antwerp and Rotterdam form the twin arteries of Europe’s drug trade, handling a staggering volume of cocaine hidden in containers of bananas, metals, and car parts. Dutch authorities are cracking down hard, arresting high-profile traffickers and dismantling smuggling networks, but Antwerp remains a weak link.
Belgium’s political dysfunction makes it an ideal narco-state. A fractured government, split between Dutch- and French-speaking factions, weakens law enforcement coordination. Only 2% of Antwerp’s shipping containers are inspected, leaving traffickers free to operate. The city’s diamond and gold trade further enables billions in cartel profits to be laundered with ease.
Violence in Antwerp has surged, as Moroccan cartel clans battle for control of the trade. Bombings and shootings have become routine, with an 11-year-old girl killed in a targeted attack linked to drug feuds. Unlike the more structured underworld of Rotterdam, where killings are rare, Antwerp’s power struggles play out in the open.
Despite growing public concern, the political will to act remains weak. Law enforcement is overwhelmed, and financial crime investigations are underfunded. While Rotterdam tightens its grip, Antwerp risks becoming even more entrenched as Europe’s cocaine capital.
The cocaine trade is reshaping Belgium’s economy and security. The question now is whether the country—and Europe—can muster the resolve to fight back before the cartels tighten their hold for good.