Drug trafficking cases in Belgium 2008-2022

From 2008 to 2022, drug trafficking cases decreased in Belgium. Although the overall number of drug-related crimes was on the rise in Belgium, drug trafficking went down from 7,500 cases to 1,500 cases over this period. However, these figures solely represent reported cases, meaning some drug traffic could be left unregistered.

Drug-related offenses

While drug import and export cases reached their lowest figures in 2018, possession cases were increasing. For instance, 25.2 thousand cases of possession were filed in 2008, whereas 44.7 thousand cases were registered in 2020. As of the first half of 2021, roughly 21.5 thousand cases of drug possession had been reported in Belgium. On the other hand, drug crimes such as dealing or drug abuse remained rather stable over this period.

Cannabis and other drugs

Over the last decade, cannabis use rose in Belgium and was especially popular in the Brussels-Capital Region. Although pursuit policies are of low priority under certain conditions, cannabis consumption or cultivation remains a punishable offense in Belgium. On the other hand, consumption of cocaine, ecstasy, amphetamines, heroin, and new psychoactive substances varied during this period. According to a survey conducted in 2018, a clear rise in the consumption of such substances took place between 2013 to 2018. Over one percent of Belgian respondents had notably used either cocaine or ecstasy in 2018.