Record number of drug retrievers caught at Antwerp port; half from Netherlands
Belgian authorities arrested 166 suspected uithalers, or container drug retrievers, in the port of Antwerp during the first half of this year, marking a record number of detentions linked to maritime cocaine smuggling. Nearly half of those apprehended held Dutch nationality, Belgian police reported.
According to the federal police, 83 of the 166 suspects arrested between January and June were Dutch citizens. Another 57 were Belgian, while five Albanians, five French nationals and five Moroccans were also detained.
Among those arrested, 37 were minors. Of these, 22 were from the Netherlands. The federal police said criminal groups are deliberately recruiting vulnerable young people for this high-risk work, which involves entering containers to remove hidden packages of cocaine.
The Scheepvaartpolitie, or Shipping Police, conducted 168 drug-related arrests on both the Left and Right Banks of the Antwerp port during the six-month period. Of these, 166 involved individuals caught attempting to retrieve drugs from containers. In comparison, there were 128 such arrests in all of last year.
Despite the surge in arrests and drug finds, the total quantity of cocaine seized has decreased. Investigators believe smugglers are increasingly splitting shipments into smaller consignments to spread risk and make enforcement more difficult.
Since the start of the year, the shipping police have launched 65 drug-related investigations, often initiated after arrests in the port. The number of discoveries climbed to 82 in the first half of the year.
The Federal Judicial Police in Antwerp, tasked with dismantling the criminal organizations behind these operations, opened 105 new case files connected to maritime cocaine trafficking since January. Investigators said their efforts focus on both the leadership of trafficking networks and the intermediaries who coordinate retrieval crews and carry out violence and money laundering.
"Together with all its partners, including the local police, customs, the judiciary and foreign partners, the federal police remains committed to curbing maritime cocaine smuggling as much as possible," the agency said.
Belgian authorities also emphasized that suspects face much harsher consequences compared with the Netherlands. While Dutch first-time offenders often receive community service or suspended sentences, adults convicted in Belgium typically serve an average prison term of about 40 months. Minors can be held in juvenile detention for weeks or months before their cases are resolved.
Defense attorneys said many Dutch teenagers are unaware of the legal risks and mistakenly believe they will be sent home the same night.
“It’s important these boys understand they won’t be back at home with their mother anytime soon," Defense attorney Chantal van den Bosch, who frequently represents suspects arrested in the port of Antwerp, told NOS in June.
Officials have also warned that stricter port security, more frequent checks and expanded surveillance have significantly increased the likelihood of arrest.
