Sharp increase in cocaine trafficking among teenagers, the youngest of whom is 13 years old.
The Belgian city of Antwerp is witnessing a sharp increase in the number of Dutch teenagers being used to smuggle cocaine from containers inside the port. Belgian authorities announced that more than 140 of those known as "uithalers" (drug extractors) were arrested during the first five months of 2025, a figure that exceeds the total for the entire previous year.
Almost half of the detainees hold Dutch nationality, including 20 minors. The Belgian police explained that gangs use these teenagers as disposable carriers, and they often do not realize the seriousness of the legal penalties they may face. Anne Berger from the Belgian federal police stated that "a minor arrested in the Netherlands is often sentenced to community service or a suspended sentence, while here adults face prison sentences of up to 40 months, whereas minors may be held in juvenile detention for weeks or even months."
The lawyer "Chantal van den Bosch", who represents many defendants arrested at the port, said she has noticed a significant increase in the number of Dutch teenagers being arrested, stating: "They think they will return home the same night, but that is not true at all."
In contrast, the Dutch port of Rotterdam has seen a significant decrease in the number of smuggling cases this year, unlike Antwerp, which has become a major hub for traffickers. "Berger" noted that this increase reflects a change in smuggling methods, as cocaine shipments are being divided into smaller quantities, necessitating repeated retrieval attempts.
Shipments are often hidden in the refrigerated container engines coming from South America, and they are tracked by GPS devices, with extractors being given location coordinates. The police say that many are caught at night moving between the containers carrying their phones. Tight security measures at the port, including security reinforcements, intensive surveillance, and strict vehicle inspections, have contributed to increasing the chances of catching traffickers.
The majority of these teenagers come from vulnerable backgrounds in cities like Rotterdam and Amsterdam, and they are lured through apps like Snapchat and Telegram, in exchange for simple rewards like an iPhone or a few hundred euros. Sometimes they are offered amounts ranging from 5,000 to 20,000 euros. But in the end, they are used and then immediately discarded if they are caught.
The journalist "Joris van der Aa" from the Gazet van Antwerpen said that many of these teenagers were previously involved in placing firecracker bombs in front of houses in the Netherlands. He explained that sending them to retrieve cocaine shipments is considered a "last desperate attempt," noting that Dutch gangs are more willing than their Belgian counterparts to use minors in these operations. Lawyer "Van den Bosch" stated that she always advises her clients to remain silent to protect themselves, adding: "I always tell them to use their right to remain silent and keep a copy of their statement to prove that they are not informants. This is an unforgiving environment for those who speak."