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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL STRATEGY REPORT, MARCH 1996: BELGIUM
United States Department of State
Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs
I. Summary
Belgium is not a significant producer of illicit drugs or precursor
chemicals used to manufacture illicit drugs, but both transit Belgium in
significant quantities bound for the rest of Europe. Narcotics
traffickers seek to exploit Belgium's large port facilities,
transportation infrastructure, and central location in Western Europe.
Belgian law enforcement agencies observe a continued increase in drug
trafficking from Asia and the Middle East via the Former Soviet
Republics.
II. Status of Country
The Government of Belgian (GOB) does not maintain drug-use statistics,
but authorities believe the number of heroin users has reached a
plateau. Cocaine seizures continue to decline steadily. However,
synthetic drug consumption -- particularly "ecstasy" and LSD -- is
rising among young Belgians.
During the first ten months of 1995, the Ministry of Finance's special
financial police unit uncovered 352 transactions considered worthy of
referral to prosecutors and worth over one billion dollars. Officials
investigating these cases claim that two-thirds of the transactions
involved drug-related money entering Belgium, mostly from the United
Kingdom, to be converted into Dutch guilders on its way to the
Netherlands. Most of the remaining third seems to have resulted from
tax fraud transactions, mainly involving the Value Added Tax (VAT).
III. Country Actions Against Drugs in 1995
Policy Initiatives. The Belgian Ministry of Justice maintains drug
liaison offices in Paris, Vienna, Bogota, Wiesbaden, Washington, Rome,
Madrid, The Hague, and Moscow (just opened in 1995). The drug liaison
offices are staffed by either judicial police or gendarmerie (national
police) officers. The Justice Ministry intends to open offices in
Istanbul, London, and Ottawa as soon as budgetary resources permit.
Accomplishments. Belgium has concluded a bilateral accord with the
Netherlands under which the Dutch will seek to reduce the number of
coffee houses where "soft" drugs are sold and to prohibit the sale of
such drugs to foreigners, including Belgians. In 1994, Belgian and
Dutch police working together inspected 9211 vehicles and 12,383
persons, which resulted in 381 arrests and 449 drug seizures.
Law Enforcement Efforts. Belgian law enforcement is led by the judicial
police (an investigative arm of the Ministry of Justice) and the
gendarmerie. Drug seizures continue to rise sharply, mainly reflecting
the increased use of Belgium, especially Antwerp, as a transit route for
illicit drugs.
In 1995 the GOB issued implementing regulations for legislation passed
in 1994 which authorized the use of wiretaps in criminal investigations.
Belgian authorities began using the telephone intercept in 1995.
Additional experience and the acquisition of new electronic equipment is
expected to help police enforce the law more effectively.
Corruption. Corruption is not a problem in the Belgian public service
or law enforcement agencies. Effective legal measures exist to combat
and punish corruption.
Agreements and Treaties. Belgium has signed and ratified (as of October
25, 1995) the 1988 UN Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic
Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. Belgium is also a party to the 1961
Single Convention and its 1972 protocol. Belgium is a member of the
Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and has implemented the EU Directive
on Money Laundering.
The United States and Belgium have long had an extradition treaty. An
updated treaty was signed in 1987, and has been ratified on the Belgian
side but awaits action by the US Congress. The Supplementary Treaty on
Extradition, also signed in 1987, and a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty
signed in 1988 and ratified by the United States in 1989, remain under
internal Belgian review.
Belgium is a member of several international anti-drug organizations,
including the Heads of European Narcotics Law Enforcement Agencies
(HONLEA), the European Committee to Combat Drugs (CELAD), the Dublin
Group, and the United Nations Drug Control Program (UNDCP). According
to the UNDCP, Belgium pledged approximately $389,000 in FY95
contributions to the UNDCP.
Cultivation/Production. There is no significant cultivation or
production of illicit drugs in Belgium.
Drug Flow/Transit. Belgium remains an important transit point for drug
traffickers because of its port facilities (Antwerp is Europe's second
busiest port), airports, excellent road connections to neighboring
countries, and central geographic location. Most illicit drugs passing
through Belgium enter the country through the ports of Antwerp and
Zeebrugge, across the border with the Netherlands, or through the
Brussels airport. Smuggling routes change constantly, but Belgian
authorities believe increasing drug shipments arrive from Asia and the
Middle East through Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Republics.
Demand Reduction. Belgium has an active anti-drug educational program
which targets the country's youth.
IV. US Policy Initiatives and Programs
Bilateral Cooperation. Cooperation between the United States and
Belgium continues to be excellent and is expanding. DEA and FBI enjoy
close and effective cooperation with the judicial police and the
gendarmerie. US law enforcement agencies represented in Brussels enjoy
excellent working relationships with the Belgian National Magistrates
and Prosecutor's offices.
The Road Ahead. The United States looks forward to continued close
cooperation with Belgium in combatting illicit drug trafficking and
drug-related crime, and to continued Belgian participation in
multilateral counter-narcotics fora such as the Dublin Group and the
UNDCP.
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