West Flemish police zones check suspicious companies

It appears to be a success, because hundreds of companies have already been screened by this strategy, including in Brussels and East Flanders, several of which have been judicially dissolved or declared bankrupt. Various police zones in West Flanders have also been carrying out such checks since the beginning of this year. Minister Van Quickenborne today visited a control action at the request of the West Flemish FGP. In time, all West Flemish police zones should carry out such checks.

Police figures show that 78% of criminal organizations in our country use companies as a cover or money laundering mechanism. This mainly concerns companies in the transport sector, import and export, construction and catering. A criminal organization uses an average of four companies to mask criminal activities. In the first place, these criminal organizations commit criminal offences, but their companies also undermine the legal economy and create unfair competition. This is also one of the fronts on which organized crime is being fought.

“At the request of our detective, we go out on the road with a number of criteria in mind. You shouldn’t imagine things that are too complex: the basis is really common sense. Is the letterbox never emptied, is there never anyone present or do the local residents not know the case at all? Then those are signs that something isn’t right”, says a district inspector of the Local Police Bruges. They then also enter and the inspectors make observations. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Vincent Van Quickenborne attended an inspection of a catering business in Bruges on Tuesday morning.