Cocaine seizures at Brussels’ main airport were up more than five-fold in 2024, Belgian authorities said on Wednesday, noting an increase in passengers attempting to smuggle the drug in their luggage.
The European country’s customs agency said more than one tonne of the white powder was retrieved in 67 busts at Brussels airport between January 1 and November 30 — up from 179 kilogrammes (395 pounds) in 2023.
Describing the trend as “worrying”, the agency said cannabis interceptions also tripled to 475 kilogrammes.
The figures related to drugs found on commercial flights, hidden in passengers’ clothing or bags.
Another 528 kilogrammes of cannabis and 19 kilogrammes of cocaine were seized from air cargo shipments.
The agency said it had observed “a change in the methods of smuggling”.
In 2023 those intercepted had in most cases swallowed small bags of drugs, while this year more than three-quarters of the illicit substances were found inside luggage.
It also noted an “alarming” increase in the variety of drugs smuggled via mail transiting from the airport.
Seizures of khat in particular were up four-fold from 2023, reaching more than a tonne, it said.
Khat is a mildly narcotic leaf that releases chemicals similar to amphetamines when chewed.
The amount of cocaine seized at Brussels airport is relatively small when compared to busts at ports such as Antwerp, where a record 116 tonnes of the powder were retrieved in 2023.
But authorities consider the airport a sensitive location given Belgium is home to clandestine laboratories for the processing and manufacturing of drugs that are then shipped abroad.
