Authorities Allege Massive Drug Network
Flor Bressers, a Belgian citizen, has gone on trial in Brussels accused of heading a large-scale cocaine-smuggling operation. Prosecutors claim he earned roughly €230m from ten shipments, while Brazilian co-defendant Sérgio Roberto de Carvalho allegedly took in about €200m. Officials say that in total, the 30 individuals facing charges amassed close to €500m from the enterprise.
Investigation Triggered by Rotterdam Cocaine Haul
The proceedings stem from a 2020 seizure in Rotterdam, where customs officials uncovered 3.2 tonnes of cocaine hidden within a manganese ore shipment. Authorities contend that the discovery exposed a complex network moving drugs through major European ports. For security reasons, the trial was moved from Bruges to the heavily fortified Justitia court complex in Brussels.
International Arrests Precede Trial
Bressers was apprehended in Zurich in February 2022 before being extradited to Belgium later that year. De Carvalho was arrested in Hungary in 2023. Among the defendants are a Dutch lawyer and a former London banker, accused of laundering illicit earnings. Defence teams are expected to challenge both the prosecution’s estimates of profits and the characterization of their clients as leaders within the organisation.
