In 2023, barely 4% of passengers would have been checked by customs, Vandemaele said. “Anyone who wants to smuggle drugs, blood diamonds, weapons or people must be clear in Wevelgem,” said the green politician.
Flemish Mobility Minister Annick de Ridder (N-VA) now puts those statements in a different light, after a question from N-VA MP Bert Maertens. According to the minister, the customs controls can only be carried out on flights from outside the Schengen zone. In Wevelgem that was about 6% of all flights in 2023.