“This is one of the reasons we have increased [penalties for drug use] … think about all the blood that is attached to it,” De Croo said, flanked by his ministers of the interior, justice and defense.
The European Union has become the global capital of cocaine use in recent years, as record production in South America has matched with roaring demand across Europe. Belgium is a key gateway, with the port city of Antwerp registering as both the continent’s largest seizer and consumer of the narcotic.
This has led to a surge in criminal violence, as gangs compete for access to the port and retail spots in cities like Brussels. Authorities have mostly been left flat-footed, either pushing for technical adjustments to port security or advocating for harsher drug laws.
De Croo has so far continued in that vein, doubling down on prohibition. During the press conference, he promised to increase the number of police and customs agents, and to better target users and dealers in marginalized neighborhoods of Brussels.
“Using drugs is a crime,” he said.
Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden also pointed to the negative health and environmental effects of consuming cocaine, including in source countries.
Source link : https://www.politico.eu/article/belgium-will-not-legalize-drugs-says-prime-minister/
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Publish date : 2024-03-27 03:00:00
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