Belgian authorities seized almost two-thirds less cocaine at the port of Antwerp last year than in 2023 — a dramatic drop officials credited Thursday to better checks in Latin America.
Belgium’s customs agency said it seized 44 tonnes of the drug in 2024 at what is considered one of the main gateways for narcotics entering Europe, down from a record 116 tonnes the year before.
It was the first decline in seizures in more than a decade, said the agency’s boss, Kristian Vanderwaeren.
