Police in the Brussels-Midi zone carried out 13 searches on the morning of Wednesday 4 September 2024 in an inquiry into drug trafficking around place Saint-Antoine in Forest, a Brussels municipality.[1] Eleven people were arrested in the operation.[1] Nine of the detainees were brought before an investigating judge, who charged them with unlawful possession of narcotics and selling narcotics as an association.[1] The judge placed eight of them under arrest warrant and released one under conditions.[1]

Officers seized 21 kg of cannabis, 260 sachets of cocaine, 60,000 euros in cash, a fake pistol and two cars.[1] Police also recovered two motorcycles that had been reported stolen.[1]

Place Saint-Antoine had long been known as a place where drugs were sold, and in the night of 12 to 13 March 2024 three people were wounded by gunfire in the nearby rue de Fierlant in what was described as a settling of scores between rival traffickers.[1] On the day of the operation Sudinfo reported 13 searches, two of them backed by the police special response unit, and 12 suspects detained, including an unaccompanied minor.[2] La Libre, citing its sister outlet La Capitale, reported 15 searches, 12 arrests and 40,000 euros in cash, while the police zone said its final figures would follow.[3] RTL’s video report of the operation described 13 searches, 11 arrests, 21 kilos of cannabis, 260 sachets of cocaine, 60,000 euros in cash, a fake pistol and two stolen motorcycles.[4]