Belgian Judge Issues Stark Warning About Narco-State Threat
An anonymous Belgian investigating judge has issued a chilling warning that Belgium is evolving into a narco-state due to organized crime networks undermining state institutions. The judge, who spent four months in a safe house after receiving death threats from drug traffickers, published an open letter on the official Belgian court system website describing how "extensive mafia-like structures have become entrenched, becoming a parallel power that challenges not only the police but also the judiciary."
Escalating Violence and Institutional Corruption
The situation has reached crisis levels with Brussels experiencing over 60 drug-related shootings this year alone, including 20 incidents just this summer. The Port of Antwerp serves as a major gateway for illegal narcotics entering Europe, with criminal networks operating with near-impunity. "These circuits remain untouched with few exceptions, there are not enough specialized investigators," the judge noted in her letter.
Corruption has penetrated deep into state institutions, with recent arrests involving port employees, customs officers, police, municipal clerks, and even justice system staff. The violence has escalated to the point where criminal activities including home attacks with bombs, home invasions, and kidnappings can be ordered through simple platforms like Snapchat. "You don't even need to go on the dark web, a Snapchat account is enough. Moreover, it's not even expensive, often just a few hundred euros is sufficient," the judge revealed.
Judges Under Siege
The anonymous magistrate described feeling abandoned by authorities during her four-month stay in a safe house. "In those circumstances, there is no government that contacts us, that actively makes an offer of support, there is no compensation, no shelter for family and colleagues, no insurance for all damage," she wrote. "And then you pick up the thread again as before. It just comes with the job, my government seems to say. Imagine that in the private sector."
She expressed concern that the lack of structural support from the government represents a direct threat to the rule of law. "I fear that it's only a matter of time before a colleague 'feels compelled for his own safety to pull a procedural error out of his hat so as not to have to sign a conviction.' A frightened judge cannot be a good judge," she summarized the problem.
Government Response and Proposed Solutions
Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden has acknowledged the concerns, stating that authorities need to "step up a gear." She announced plans to restrict the publicity of personal data and better protect courthouses. The government will also conduct improved security risk analyses for justice personnel.
The judge proposed five immediate measures: allowing judges to work anonymously, keeping personal data out of databases, establishing a permanent contact point for threatened judges, providing compensation for physical and material damage, and better controlling communications from convicted criminals in prison.
In a telling example of the bureaucratic hurdles faced, the judge revealed she had to fight for reimbursement of an alarm system. "That should be reviewed budgetarily," she told VRT.
Broader Context of Drug Violence
Belgium, like its neighbor the Netherlands, has been struggling for years with the undermining of society by violent drug gangs. Recent years have seen an increase in attacks with firearms and homemade bombs. Prison guards have also become targets, with incidents including cars being set on fire and threatening letters being delivered to their homes.
The federal government is currently investigating whether the military can be deployed on the streets of Brussels to combat drug criminality. Meanwhile, the government has approved merging Brussels' six police zones into a single unit by early 2027.
The judge concluded with a sobering assessment: "The rule of law is not an abstract concept. It consists of people - magistrates, police officers, prison guards - who do their work with conviction, but who have the right to a government that supports them. The question is not whether the rule of law is threatened, it already is. The question is: how our state will defend itself."