Bart de Wever (AP)
Belgian prime minister Bart De Wever on Wednesday appealed for United States support in fighting transnational drug smuggling during his visit to the port of Antwerp with US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.De Wever applauded president Donald Trump’s administration for its efforts to combat drug trafficking in the Caribbean and for targeting drug cartels across the Americas.”This is very good news for us,” De Wever said, calling for stepped-up cooperation and information-sharing between Europe and the United States, “because the drug criminals know no borders.”Noem confirmed the US would continue to partner with Belgian authorities on countering “transnational criminal organisations that are killing our people, that are poisoning our citizens and our countries”.
Antwerp: A major drug trafficking hub
More drugs flowed through Antwerp than any other place in Europe, according to the 2025 annual report by the European Union Drugs Agency.In 2023, a record 116 tons of cocaine were seized in the port city. However, the amount of cocaine seized in 2024 fell by 50%, as authorities increased inspections.De Wever said European nations should cooperate more and encouraged the US “to crush the business model of organized crime. We must do this because criminals know no borders at all.”According to the European Union Drugs Agency, cocaine seizures in Europe in 2023 hit a record for the seventh consecutive year, with 419 metric tons seized by authorities.Belgium led with 123 metric tons, followed by Spain with 118 metric tons and the Netherlands with 59 metric tons. These three countries, all with major ports, accounted for 72 percent of the total drugs intercepted.
