Mayor John Crombez emphasizes that the city continues to strengthen its approach. “The intensity continues to increase,” he says. “We always have results with dog sweeps and issue restraining orders for people who cause a nuisance.”
According to the mayor, the rising figures do not mean that the problem is getting worse, but that more targeted action is being taken. “People used to think: if we don’t search too hard, we shouldn’t communicate bad figures. We’re not going to do that,” says Crombez.
Since July, more than thirty people have received such a ban, and according to the city, more will follow. Ostend also requires more support from higher authorities to tackle the drug problem not only repressively but also preventively and socially.