Belgium Sentences Over 100 in Historic Drug Trafficking Trial

The trial, based on decrypted messages, highlights Belgium's pivotal role in Europe's drug trade.

A Belgian court sentenced 119 individuals to prison terms ranging from 14 months to 17 years in a major drug trafficking case.
The trial involved a multinational cocaine and cannabis smuggling operation, with defendants from Belgium, Albania, Colombia, and North Africa.
Key figures included Abdelwahab Guerni and Eridan Munoz Guerrero, receiving 17 and 14-year sentences, respectively.
The case was built on evidence from cracked encrypted messaging services, Sky ECC and EncroChat, revealing extensive criminal networks.
Defense attorneys criticized the trial as a 'publicity stunt,' arguing cases were artificially linked, while prosecutors insisted on the existence of structured criminal hierarchies.