In Antwerp, the number of arrested minors last year was twice that of the previous year.

Omissions

• The MEP omitted that the doubling refers specifically to minors arrested as drug retrievers (uithalers) at the Port of Antwerp by the Maritime Police, not all minors arrested in the entire city of Antwerp for all offenses.
• The claim presents a narrow, port-specific drug-courier statistic as if it applies to general juvenile arrests across all of Antwerp, significantly exaggerating the scope.
• Full-year 2025 data was not yet available at the time of the session (May 2026); the comparison uses partial 2025 figures (first ~5 months) against full-year 2024, which may overstate the annual increase.

Sources

• SecondaryVRT NWSIn 2024 werden er 16 minderjarige uithalers opgepakt. Dit jaar waren dat er al 31 (In 2024, 16 minor drug retrievers were arrested. This year [by May 2025] there were already 31).
• SecondaryEl País (English edition)Arrests of minors employed as drug couriers have doubled in one year at the port of Antwerp. In 2024, 100 uithalers were arrested in the city, and 16 of them were aged under 18. This year, there have already been 31.
• SecondaryFlows.beDe Scheepvaartpolitie arresteerde dit jaar al 131 drugsuithalers in de haven van Antwerpen, waarvan 31 minderjarig. Dat is meer dan het totale aantal voor 2024. (The Maritime Police arrested 131 drug retrievers in the port of Antwerp this year, of which 31 were minors. That is more than the total number for 2024.)