Brussels: Europe and the Arabs

A statement from the far-right Vlaams Belang party in Belgium said that the latest police statistics on drug-related crimes in major cities indicate that this is yet another negative consequence of mass immigration. In Antwerp, in the north of the country, nearly half of known drug suspects are not Belgian (49.2%). In several Brussels municipalities, this figure rises to over 60%. Member of Parliament Ortuyn Depoortier (Vlaams Belang) stated: "Anyone who downplays the link between mass immigration and crime is ignoring the truth and bears a heavy responsibility." The party statement, a copy of which we received, reads: “Deporter, the chairman of the Interior Committee, wanted to know the number of known drug suspects, so he requested these statistics from Interior Minister Bernard Quentin (Reform Movement party). These statistics revealed a problem with foreigners. In 2024, a total of 15,521 drug suspects were registered in Brussels and the five main Flemish cities. It turned out that 5,879 of them—almost 40%—were not Belgian. The problem is particularly pronounced in Antwerp and the Brussels region. The Brussels municipality of Schaerbeek tops the list with a staggering 61.4% of drug suspects being non-Belgian, followed by Saint-Gilles (57.1%) and Saint-Josse-ten-Noode (57.7%). But Antwerp is also experiencing a significant increase in these figures. Deporter explains: “In Antwerp, non-Belgians make up almost half: 3,364 known drug suspects.” 1,654 of them are not Belgian.” The statistics also reveal another worrying trend: a solid core of repeat offenders. In Brussels, more than a thousand suspects committed two or more drug-related crimes in a single year; in Antwerp, the number reached 437 repeat offenders.

“Our major cities are being poisoned by the drug economy, with the majority of those committing these crimes not being Belgian.” These alarming figures point to a structural problem. “Our major cities are being poisoned by the drug economy, with the majority of those committing these crimes not being Belgian,” says Deporter. “This is a structural problem that must be urgently acknowledged.” “We need to take much tougher measures, including against the drug dealers who terrorize our neighborhoods. This problem can only be solved by intensifying police operations and adopting a firm approach by the justice system. Creating a special police force for illegal immigration is the ideal solution to confront drug criminals residing here illegally.” In Brussels, a unified police force is absolutely essential, because drug criminals do not abide by municipal boundaries,” Deporter concluded.