US homeland security chief and Belgian prime minister pledge joint efforts to tackle drug smuggling

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ANTWERP, Belgium (AP) — U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem held talks with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever on Wednesday about maritime security and bilateral efforts to fight transnational drug smuggling.

Noem said during a joint appearance in Antwerp that various U.S. agencies were cooperating with Belgium to increase the sharing of data and intelligence to combat drug trafficking. “Our threats will be stopped through collaboration, through sharing of information and intelligence," she said, adding that ports are "a prime target for foreign terrorist organizations, or cartels, or transnational criminal organizations that smuggle drugs and smuggle traffic through them. And here in Antwerp, you know that all too well.”

De Wever, a former mayor of Antwerp, has traveled as far as South America in efforts to tackle surging drug trafficking through northern Europe. He said that European nations should increase cooperation amongst themselves as well as the U.S. “to crush the business model of organized crime. We must do this because criminals know no borders at all.”

De Wever introduced Noem to a drug-detecting dog named Emma before showing off new trucks used by the port of Antwerp to scan containers for illicit goods. The pair then boarded helicopters for an aerial tour of the port.

In recent years, more drugs have flowed through Antwerp than any other European facility, according to the 2025 annual report by the European Union Drugs Agency.

The report found cocaine seizures in Europe in 2023 hit a record for a seventh straight year, with 419 metric tons (462 tons) of cocaine confiscated by authorities. Belgium led with 123 metric tons (135 tons), followed by Spain with 118 metric tons (130 tons) and the Netherlands with 59 metric tons (65 tons). The three countries with major ports accounted for 72% of the total grabbed by agents.

The drugs agency’s early warning system to spot new synthetic drugs has identified 1,000 new substances in its 27 years of existence. Authorities have warned illicit drug flows will spark violent crime and raise addiction rates across the continent. Europe remains the leading producer and exporter of ecstasy.

Since taking charge of Homeland Security, Noem has travelled globally to set up and reinforce cooperative law enforcement agreements in South America and Europe. She met Tuesday in London with ministers from the “Five Eyes” intelligence-sharing partnership focused on border security.

Newly appointed U.K. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood welcomed Noem and ministers from Canada, Australia and New Zealand to the 18th-century headquarters of the Honourable Artillery Company for talks on countering unauthorized migration, child sexual abuse and the spread of opioids.

Noem said there had not been disagreements among the ministers in talks focused on sharing information on criminal gangs, using technology to disrupt their networks and speeding extradition arrangements. The far-flung countries are close allies with some common problems but also widely differ in their approaches to migration,

The Trump administration’s program of street raids, mass detentions and large-scale deportations of unauthorized migrants has drawn domestic and international criticism and a host of legal challenges.

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An earlier version of this article incorrectly reported that Noem and De Wever were scheduled to meet on Tuesday. They were scheduled to meet on Wednesday.