Brussels has faced significant drug-related crime and violence over recent years, experiencing numerous shootings. By the end of October 2025, there had been 78 recorded shootings. During a particularly violent week in August, Moinil criticized politicians for their lenient attitude towards gun violence, cautioning that “anyone in Brussels can be hit by a stray bullet.”
In 2024, official records indicate 92 shootings resulting in nine deaths.
In September, Belgian Security and Home Affairs Minister Bernard Quintin stirred controversy by proposing the deployment of soldiers on Brussels’ streets for their “shock effect,” to assist police. An anonymous open letter from a judge in Antwerp suggested drug trafficking is transforming Belgium into a “narco-state,” with “extensive mafia-like structures” established.
The suspected plot against Moinil raises concerns about the safety of officials fighting drug violence.
“This investigation highlights the critical need to better protect police officers and magistrates who actively combat organized crime and, as a result, become targets for these organizations,” Federal Prosecutor Ann Fransen stated to Belgian media on Tuesday.
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