As record amounts of cocaine are being seized in Europe, drug-related violent crime is becoming increasingly visible in the European Union’s capital city.
“We’re up against mafia-like organizations,” said Jean Spinette, mayor of the Saint-Gilles district, where one man was killed early Wednesday in the culmination of several days of fighting among drug dealers.
With Antwerp the main gateway for Latin American cocaine cartels into the continent, gang violence has been rife in the Belgian port city for years.
The increasing spread of crack cocaine and open dealing and use of drugs in some central neighborhoods over the past year have exacerbated an already bad situation to the point that petty theft, fights and harassment of tourists have become everyday headline news in the nation of 11.5 million.
He said the problem should be tackled upstream by dismantling networks and urged authorities to prosecute criminals faster to avoid a “feeling of impunity.”
Following police operations last year to clean Belgium’s major rail gateway, the Brussels Midi Station, the Porte de Hal zone has seen an influx of users who disrupt the lives of residents and shop owners.
The original article contains 667 words, the summary contains 187 words. Saved 72%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
This is the best summary I could come up with:
As record amounts of cocaine are being seized in Europe, drug-related violent crime is becoming increasingly visible in the European Union’s capital city.
“We’re up against mafia-like organizations,” said Jean Spinette, mayor of the Saint-Gilles district, where one man was killed early Wednesday in the culmination of several days of fighting among drug dealers.
With Antwerp the main gateway for Latin American cocaine cartels into the continent, gang violence has been rife in the Belgian port city for years.
The increasing spread of crack cocaine and open dealing and use of drugs in some central neighborhoods over the past year have exacerbated an already bad situation to the point that petty theft, fights and harassment of tourists have become everyday headline news in the nation of 11.5 million.
He said the problem should be tackled upstream by dismantling networks and urged authorities to prosecute criminals faster to avoid a “feeling of impunity.”
Following police operations last year to clean Belgium’s major rail gateway, the Brussels Midi Station, the Porte de Hal zone has seen an influx of users who disrupt the lives of residents and shop owners.
The original article contains 667 words, the summary contains 187 words. Saved 72%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!