Belgium arrests 8 over suspected drugs-linked plot to kill Brussels prosecutor
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Brussels' chief prosecutor Julien Moinil was the target of a murder plot thought to be linked to organised drug trafficking.
PHOTO: AFP
- Eight people were arrested in Brussels on November 18th in connection with a suspected plot to kill chief prosecutor Julien Moinil.
- The suspects are linked to organised drug trafficking and the Albanian criminal underworld, prompting searches of 18 premises.
- The investigation highlights the need for better protection for law enforcement fighting organised crime amidst rising drug-related violence in Belgium.
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BRUSSELS – The Belgian authorities said on Nov 18 that they have detained eight people in connection with a suspected drugs-linked plot to kill Brussels’ chief prosecutor Julien Moinil.
Police made the arrests as they carried out 18 morning searches mainly in the capital, following a months-long investigation, the federal prosecutor office said.
“The main suspects appear to have criminal records related to organised drug trafficking. They are believed to be active within the Albanian criminal underworld,” it said.
The suspects were being questioned before appearing in front of a judge, it added.
The authorities said they launched the probe in July after being made aware of a plot to murder Mr Moinil.
Yet the federal prosecutor office said it was too early to “confirm or deny” the plot.
“This investigation demonstrates once again the absolute necessity of better protecting police officers and magistrates who fight organised crime on a daily basis,” said federal prosecutor Ann Fransen.
Perched on the north-western coast of the European mainland, Belgium has become a hub for criminal gangs smuggling narcotics into the continent.
Brussels has recently seen an increase in gun crime linked to disputes between rival drug gangs – a phenomenon which previously mainly affected the port city of Antwerp.
Mr Moinil, a former federal prosecutor, took up the role as head of the Brussels office in January.
He has been living under heightened police protection for several months. AFP
