BRUSSELS – Belgian rabbits will be an Easter treat for children around the world this weekend, but not all of them are molded from the country’s famous chocolate.
A batch of rabbits seized this week by veteran customs officer Pol Mullenaire were made from a lump of MDMA, the raw material in the Rave drug Ecstasy pills.
Known as the gateway to Europe for Latin American cocaine, Belgium is now also a mail-order turntable for synthetic drugs manufactured in Europe and shipped around the world.
Mulénaire, who will be retiring in a few months after working at the Belgian customs office for 43 years, told AFP that when he started his career, he was thrilled to find 10 grams of cannabis in a letter.
His workplace, now located in an office block in the cargo zone of Brussels Airport, is flooded with questionable parcels and bags and bottles containing illegal pills and powders.
“By 2022, we have nearly six tons of drugs seized here at the airport,” said Florence Angelici, spokesperson for SPF Federal Financial Services.
“It goes all over the world. Today, people can order online with a few clicks on the ‘dark web’, decide what they want and have it delivered to their home.” “
The fake chocolate bunnies were mailed to Belgium in small portions and addressed to buyers in Hong Kong, only to be intercepted at the cargo terminal at Brussels Airport.
Meuleneire pressed his hand-held scanner, which uses Raman spectroscopy to identify substances by chemical fingerprinting, to one of what appeared to be chocolate rabbits.
The screen flashed green and the analysis was clear: “Caution: MDMA (Ecstasy)”.
“As you can see? It’s pure MDMA,” said the 61-year-old woman. “So here, bumpy, there’s a kilo or two of this. With one kilo she can make 6,000 ecstasy her pills.”
Several more illegal deliveries were uncovered in a package received last week when Mulnewar was using a cutter during a visit by AFP journalists.
The Peppa Pig branded lunch box for New Zealand itself proved to be harmless, but the packaging it was carried in felt too thick and not cardboard and plastic.
https://www.straitstimes.com/world/europe/belgian-drug-bunnies-put-the-e-into-easter Belgian drug bunnies put E in Easter