By Guido Lanfranchi.
In early April, Mr. Uttam Dhillon, Acting Administrator for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, visited Belgium and the Netherlands. During the visit, Mr. Dhillon discussed DEA’s cooperation with the European Union and visited the Port of Antwerp.
Mr. Dhillon, head of the renowned U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, arrived in Belgium in the wake of a recent visit to Colombia. The combination of these two visits – he said – shows to observers that there is a strong transatlantic link between the cocaine sold in Europe (as well as in the United States) and the powerful South American drug trafficking organizations.
In this dirty business – he underlined – the Port of Antwerp is a key crossroads: in 2018 alone, 50 tons of cocaine were seized by Belgian authorities in the port, and almost the same amount was interdicted before it got there.
During his visit, Mr. Dhillon met with several partners, including European, Belgian, and Dutch law enforcement authorities. The aim of such meetings – Mr. Dhillon stressed – “is to continue to reinforce our very very strong relationship”. Transatlantic efforts aimed at disrupting powerful drug businesses continue.
