Belgian prosecutors seek up to 20-year prison terms for leaders of four criminal organisations accused of importing at least 25 tonnes of cocaine through Antwerp’s port in the “Costa case.”
The trial of 51 defendants, including former law enforcement officers, prominent members of the Bandidos Benelux motorcycle club, and Dutch trafficker Jos Leijdekkers, aims to uncover a large-scale smuggling and money-laundering network. Prosecutors have proposed individual penalties for the ringleaders and key operatives, including 20 years in prison for Geert Frisson, 18 years for Tom Bastiaanse, and 15 years for Jos Leijdekkers, with a variety of other prison terms requested for those in supporting roles.
Investigators accuse Antwerp restaurant operators, customs officials, port workers, and lawyers of facilitating drug shipments, assisting with the unloading and distribution of narcotics, and laundering criminal proceeds. Authorities say much of the cocaine was hidden inside shipping containers, often concealed among timber consignments and other legitimate cargo, and that shipments were unloaded at the port with the help of insiders.
Prosecutors describe a coordinated operation in which illicit consignments were moved and concealed through logistics chains with the help of compromised personnel and opaque financial arrangements. The trial continues as prosecutors present evidence to prove the scope of the conspiracy and each defendant’s specific role, while defence teams prepare to challenge those allegations in court.***
