A 19-year-old Dutch national was arrested in the Port of Antwerp on Friday night on suspicion of attempted murder, after he allegedly drove his vehicle directly into a police officer during a dramatic confrontation, the Antwerp Public Prosecutor’s Office announced on Monday.
The incident occurred when maritime police identified a suspicious vehicle with Dutch license plates in the port area, which is a known hotspot for drug trafficking and so-called “cocaine collectors.”
Officers attempted to stop the vehicle for inspection, but the driver refused to comply and instead accelerated toward one of the officers in an apparent attempt to evade capture.
In a split-second reaction, the officer managed to grab onto the window frame of the vehicle, preventing himself from being run over, but was dragged several metres before freeing himself. He sustained minor injuries but did not require hospitalization.
“The quick reflexes of the officer likely saved him from serious harm,” said a spokesperson for the Antwerp Public Prosecutor’s Office. “The deliberate nature of the act justifies the charge of attempted murder.”
The vehicle was brought to a stop shortly afterward and all three occupants were arrested at the scene. The two passengers, both minors aged 16, were also Dutch nationals.
According to the prosecutor’s office, preliminary investigations indicate that the trio had entered the port with the intention of extracting a shipment of cocaine—part of a growing trend of young “extractors” hired by criminal networks to recover smuggled drugs from shipping containers.
The port of Antwerp has long been a central entry point for illegal narcotics, particularly cocaine from South America, and authorities have stepped up surveillance in response to rising levels of drug-related violence and infiltration.
Following their arrest, the 19-year-old driver was brought before an investigating judge who placed him under formal arrest on charges of attempted murder and drug trafficking in association with others.
Meanwhile, the two 16-year-olds were presented to a youth court judge, who ordered that both be placed in a secure juvenile institution pending further investigation.
The case is the latest in a series of incidents involving minors recruited by organized crime groups to carry out risky drug retrieval operations in and around the port. Belgian authorities have expressed growing concern over the increasing use of young people in the drug trade, both from within Belgium and neighboring countries such as the Netherlands.
“We are dealing with a dangerous trend where criminal organizations exploit vulnerable youth to do their dirty work,” the prosecutor’s spokesperson added. “This case could have ended in tragedy, and it highlights the urgent need for cross-border cooperation to combat drug smuggling and protect young lives.”
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are working to determine the full scope of the group’s involvement and any connections to larger criminal networks. Further charges may be filed as the case develops.
