The Belgian Police arrested a 23-year-old Moroccan immigrant who was carrying a loaded assault rifle of the Kalashnikov type, hidden inside a bag among baby and children's clothes.
The foreigner had arrived by train from France and, according to available information, holds a Spanish residence permit.
The arrest took place last Thursday, around 9:30, after Customs officials noticed that the suspect appeared visibly nervous and was apparently trying to avoid a check. The Moroccan tried to blend in with Eurostar passengers but was pulled aside for a more thorough inspection.
During the procedure, the agents found the loaded war weapon hidden beneath children's clothing. A joint patrol made up of police and military intervened immediately and proceeded to detain him.
After the arrest, the investigating judge ordered preventive detention and initially charged him with belonging to a criminal organization and illegal possession of a war weapon. The detainee is scheduled to appear before the council chamber on Wednesday, which will have to decide whether to extend his detention.
The investigation of the case
The investigation took a direction linked to organized crime after the Belgian Federal Police initially ruled out the existence of sufficient elements to consider the detainee an Islamic terrorist.
Among the hypotheses being considered by investigators is the possibility that the Kalashnikov is related to the dispute between clans of the so-called Mocromafia and Balkan criminal organizations for control of the drug market in Brussels.
