A vast money laundering network linked to drug trafficking dismantled between three countries

A coordinated operation between French and Belgian authorities has dismantled a major money laundering network fueled by drug trafficking. Fifteen people were arrested in early June and nearly €8 million in assets were seized. Investigators also seized 50 kilos of cocaine during raids conducted in France and Belgium.

The case began in 2025 when investigators identified regular meetings between drug traffickers from the Bordeaux region and Mauritanian money collectors. These collectors traveled daily by train to several French cities to pick up tens of thousands of euros in cash from drug trafficking. The funds were then transported to Belgium, particularly to certain neighborhoods in Brussels known for their involvement in clandestine financial networks.

Nearly 24 million euros raised in eight months

The investigation revealed a highly structured system. The collectors traveled with customs declarations of capital presented as being related to vehicle purchases. According to investigators, fourteen Mauritanian nationals alone declared at least €7,5 million upon entering French territory since 2019. However, the sums actually handled are believed to be much higher, with police estimating that nearly €24 million passed through the network in just eight months.

The investigation led authorities to a Brussels-based car dealership suspected of being used as a money laundering front. Nearly €7,9 million has been frozen in its bank accounts. Operations conducted by the French Anti-Narcotics Office (Ofast), the Central Office for the Repression of Major Financial Crime (OCRGDF), French Customs, and the Belgian Federal Judicial Police also resulted in the seizure of €500.000 in cash. Several suspects have been charged in France, while in Belgium, an arrest warrant has been issued for the alleged ringleader, who is believed to be currently in Mauritania.