A new documentary examines how the Netherlands and Belgium became the primary hubs for Europe's ultraviolent cocaine trafficking networks [1].
The film, titled "Narcotrafic, le poison de l’Europe," provides a historical framework to explain why these specific regions are now central to the international drug trade. By linking modern violence to colonial-era commerce, the work suggests that current criminal infrastructures are built upon centuries of established trade routes.
Directed by Christophe Bouquet and Mathieu Verboud, the first part of the series traces the ascent of the drug trade back to the 16th century [1, 2]. The narrative connects the early opium trade to the modern chemical and cocaine networks that now dominate the region [2].
The documentary highlights a stark disparity in the timeline of organized crime across the continent. According to the film, the Netherlands and Belgium faced the rise of ultraviolent organized crime 10 years earlier than France or Sweden [1]. This head start in criminal infrastructure solidified the two nations as the gateway for narcotics entering the European market.
Recent legal efforts to dismantle these networks are also featured. The production covers the "maxi procès," a series of significant legal proceedings that spanned from 2019 to 2026 [1]. These trials aimed to address the systemic nature of the trafficking rings, and the violence associated with their operations.
The documentary is currently available for repeat viewing until Oct. 3, 2026 [1]. It was broadcast on Arte, the joint French-German television network, to provide a cross-border perspective on the crisis [1, 2].
“The Netherlands and Belgium faced the rise of ultraviolent organized crime 10 years earlier than France or Sweden.”
The documentary shifts the conversation from treating drug violence as a modern anomaly to viewing it as a systemic outcome of historical trade patterns. By identifying the 10-year gap in crime escalation between the Benelux region and other European nations, the film suggests that geographic and historical advantages in shipping and commerce have been repurposed by criminal syndicates, making the region uniquely difficult to secure.
