Belgian court rules Dutch webshop smuggled drugs, imposes prison and fines

The two owners of the webshop Funcaps have been sentenced to three years in prison, half of which is suspended, and were also fined in a Belgian appeals court on Wednesday. The Antwerp Court of Appeal ruled that the Dutchmen had been importing designer drugs into Belgium extensively via their webshop from 2019 to 2022.

The court stated that their products played a role in the death of a 44-year-old man from Tervuren, Belgium, who died following an overdose of a designer drug mixed with other substances.

Funcaps owners Jord van W. (31) from Ulestraten and Stefan P. (30) from Valkenburg were arrested in the Netherlands in August 2025 on suspicion of selling illegal drugs. Dutch prosecutors are investigating 58 deaths that could be connected to products sold via their website.

Funcaps started selling its products in Belgium during the COVID period. While the substances were not always explicitly banned in the Netherlands, they were considered illegal under Belgian drug laws, according to news agency Belga. “This made Belgium a key market for the company.”

The court noted that a large part of Funcaps’ revenue came from Belgium and imposed a 600,000-euro fine on the company. In addition, Van W. and P. were each ordered to pay 50,000 euros.

The men remain in a Dutch detention center as their trial proceeds. The judge ruled that the allegations are “serious enough” to deny them release and noted a risk of repeat offenses. The next preparatory hearing is set for Monday, April 20.