Belgium's largest drug trial ends with over 100 convictions

Police officers intercepted messages for two years after they were able to hack into the encrypted phone service Sky ECC.

Transcript

00:00A Belgian court sentenced over 100 people for drug-related crimes in the country's biggest

00:07drug trial.

00:09The defendants were part of a major criminal network which operated as far as South America

00:13and Morocco.

00:17The criminals were exposed after police hacked into phone service Sky ECC and intercepted

00:22messages for two years.

00:27The case shines light on Belgium's drug problem, with Antwerp's port being a main European

00:32gateway for the smuggling of cocaine.

00:48A total of 129 defendants were accused of being part of several drug gangs that were

00:54behind the large-scale import of cannabis and cocaine into Europe.

00:59Key gang members received sentences ranging from seven to 17 years in prison, whereas

01:04other defendants received sentences ranging from 14 months to 15 years.

01:11The sentences depended on the severity of the crime.

01:14Besides drug trafficking, defendants were also punished for their involvement in violence,

01:19extortion and kidnapping.