Brussels under fire
20 February 2025
Ranking second on the list of European cities with the most firearms incidents, violence is never far away in Brussels. But in the past two weeks, Belgium's capital has been startled by six shootings – all in the working-class district of Anderlecht. Some took place in busy public areas, with footage showing masked men firing Kalashnikov-style weapons outside a metro station.
Two men were killed, and several others were wounded in the recent outbreak of violence. While investigations are still ongoing, authorities attribute it to rival drug gangs fighting over territory. They seem to be linked to the Moroccan drug cartel "Mocro maffia", which controls a third of Europe's cocaine market, as well as Albanese and Algerian gangs.
Drug-related crime has long caused issues for Belgium, due to the vast quantities of cocaine and other illicit narcotics arriving through the port of Antwerp – Europe's second-largest seaport after Rotterdam. While the violence was previously confined to Antwerp, it has spread to Brussels in the last few years.
The recent incidents show how vulnerable Brussels is to drug-related crime. Experts cite socio-economic issues in disadvantaged neighbourhoods, rising drug and weapon supplies, and the city's complex structure – 19 mayors, six police zones, and overlapping local, regional and federal jurisdictions – making the fight against crime complicated and prone to blame games.
 | Laura Muyldermans Drug-related violence is not only a problem in Belgium; the Netherlands is also facing the fallout of Europe's illicit drug trade, with some even suggesting it might become a narco-state. Sweden has faced similar issues. Our correspondent reported last year on spiralling gang violence in her country. Like Denmark and Sweden, the Belgian and Dutch police forces have worked together in the past to round up gangs. But it feels like mopping the floor while the tap is still running. |
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