Belgian luxury car dealer arrested in Spain for laundering millions of euros in drug money (Antwerp)
A Belgian luxury car dealer is arrested in the Spanish resort of Marbella. The suspect is said to have laundered millions of euros in illegal drug smuggling through the port of Antwerp. Europol reports that. The man is linked to the drug gang of Gianni B. from Brecht.
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The investigation started two years ago. At the end of January of this year, the investigators were able to collect a lot of financial information during several house searches in and around Antwerp, which ultimately lead to the identification of the Belgian suspect in Marbella. His arrest was made on June 23. Police found four firearms in his home, which were seized. An accomplice was also arrested for questioning.
According to Europol, the payments made from drug smuggling through the port of Antwerp in Belgium were collected and the man then bought luxury car tickets above 100,000 euros in another European country.
Those cars then went to other countries to be rented out and sold there. According to Europol that technique is often used by cartridges to launder drug money.
2.3 million euros
The public prosecutor in Antwerp asks the surrender to the suspects of the Spain. The man is linked to Gianni B., who also managed an improved organization from a villa in Marbella.
Gianni B. from Brecht himself has been in jail since the summer of 2021, he continues to insist that he has nothing to do with drugs. According to Europol, the police were already able to confiscate 2.3 million euros in illegal payments during the two-year follow-up investigation.