Belgium's national drug commissioner has warned that criminal gangs are exploiting short-term rental platforms to store narcotics, weapons, cash and even people, turning ordinary holiday apartments into covert stash houses.
Ine Van Wymersch, who became Belgium's first national drug commissioner in 2023 following a wave of drug-related violence in Antwerp, said the problem has grown acute. In early August 2026, police seized 3.3 kg of cocaine and €4,845 from an Airbnb-rented apartment in central Brussels. A prior case saw 11 people convicted in 2024 for smuggling €21 million worth of drugs between Belgium and the UK via a rental in West Flanders.
Clément Eulry, Airbnb's country manager for France and the Benelux, said criminal bookings represent an extreme minority and that the company uses artificial intelligence to identify suspicious reservations. Brussels recorded 101 shootings in 2025, a record high.