Belgium becomes new 'narco-state' as Canadian cannabis legalization fuels European cartels

Belgium is becoming a "narco-state" due to a surge in cannabis smuggling, with authorities pointing to Canada's legalization of recreational marijuana in 2018 as a contributing factor. Max Stevens, an international crime correspondent, reports that unprecedented quantities of cannabis are entering Europe through the port of Antwerp. Belgian customs seized 32 tons of cannabis in the past year, a 500% increase compared to 2024.

Criminal networks, reportedly linked to Chinese mafias with state connections, are exploiting the legal market in Canada. After legalization, the Canadian market became saturated, allowing criminal organizations to achieve five times greater profits by smuggling cannabis to Europe rather than selling it domestically. The cannabis is transported in six-meter shipping containers departing from Canadian ports like Vancouver, Montreal, Halifax, and Saint John.

The lucrative nature of this trade is driven by a significant price disparity. A kilogram of cannabis costing around 800 pounds in Canada can fetch up to 4,500 pounds on the European market. This profitability incentivizes smuggling operations. At the port of Antwerp, criminal groups allegedly pay up to 40,000 pounds to corrupt dockworkers to move containers and evade customs inspections.

From Antwerp, the cannabis is distributed to countries like the Netherlands, Germany, France, and Italy, utilizing the same poorly controlled land routes within the Schengen Zone that are also used for trafficking cocaine and amphetamines. Criminal networks are reinvesting these substantial profits into other illicit activities, including human trafficking and arms dealing.

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