The alarming rise of gang violence in Brussels has been significantly fueled by the lucrative cocaine trade, according to Belgium’s Drug Commissioner, Ine Van Wymersch. In a troubling series of events, the capital has witnessed four shootings in just three days, culminating in a deadly incident in Anderlecht early Friday morning. Authorities are attributing this violence to fierce turf wars among rival drug gangs heavily armed with firearms.
“This is not just some street criminality. This is gang stuff,”
Van Wymersch noted in an interview on Friday morning, emphasizing that the situation has escalated far beyond typical street crime.
Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, gang violence has surged in Belgium, a trend Van Wymersch links to a shift in drug dealers’ product lines. With cocaine entering the market, the financial stakes have risen dramatically. She elaborated, saying, “With the introduction of cocaine, there is a lot more money involved. And with this money, they can engage more people to work for them, but they can also buy heavy weapons like they did here.” The influx of cash has intensified competition for control of lucrative selling points, with earnings at some hotspots reportedly reaching €50,000 per day, making them prime targets for violent confrontations.
Challenges in combating organized crime
Appointed as Belgium’s inaugural drug commissioner in February 2023, Van Wymersch’s role was established in response to a tragic drug-related shooting in Antwerp that claimed the life of an 11-year-old girl. She stated, “Our mission is to level up the fight against organized crime by getting a clear image of what goes beyond police data.” For security reasons, the location of her office remains undisclosed.
In 2025, combating the drug war presents numerous challenges, particularly in identifying gangs and disrupting encrypted communications. Van Wymersch explained that globalization has complicated the situation, making it difficult to track the identity and backgrounds of criminals involved in drug trafficking.
“It’s not like you can follow the Italian chain, or the Serbian or the Moroccan chain,”
she said, highlighting how interconnected and anonymous the criminal networks have become. With gang members often using pseudonyms and encrypted communication, the operational dynamics have shifted dramatically, leading to many vulnerable individuals being recruited for these dangerous roles.
Coordinated response to violence
The recent wave of violence began early on a Wednesday when two masked assailants opened fire with Kalashnikov-style weapons near the Clemenceau metro station in Anderlecht. This was followed by two additional shootings on Thursday morning in different parts of the city, resulting in injuries to three individuals. In response to the escalating violence, Brussels Mayor Philippe Close convened an urgent meeting with the mayors of surrounding municipalities to address security concerns and strategize coordination with the Brussels Public Prosecutor’s Office.
During this meeting, it was decided to temporarily unify the city’s police forces under a single command in an effort to restore order and control over the violence.
Van Wymersch expressed the urgent need for societal and logistical improvements in Brussels, emphasizing, “Really, the need for rebuilding society in Brussels is clear.” She pointed out that citizens are calling for cleaner streets, better lighting, and improved living conditions, alongside access to jobs and education for children.
Furthermore, Van Wymersch noted that the city’s governance structure, consisting of 19 different mayors, complicates coordination and exacerbates the challenges of addressing these issues effectively.
In light of these challenges, she is advocating for a new asset recovery model from the Belgian government, which was formed in January after prolonged negotiations. This model aims to reinvest money seized from criminal organizations back into law enforcement efforts.
“We think that the money that we take, the luxury cars, everything that we are taking from the criminal world, should be reinvested in law enforcement and in rebuilding society,”
she stated, highlighting a strategic approach to combating crime and improving the living conditions within the city.