Benelux, police cooperation, Safety

The House of the Benelux as operational center during an international action against drug trafficking

13 Oct. 2025

During the recent Operation Étoile , a large-scale control operation targeting drug trafficking, the Benelux General Secretariat in Brussels served for the first time as an operational center. This action is part of a series of joint operations conducted annually between the Benelux countries and France, aimed at combating cross-border drug trafficking. This cooperation is known as the Hazeldonk cooperation.

For this two-day operation, a joint command was established in the Maison Benelux. This center played a key role in the exchange of information between the participating services – police, gendarmerie, and customs – and enabled even more effective coordination of operations. Thanks to this central hub, investigations could be launched immediately in the relevant countries following arrests.

According to the Benelux General Secretariat, temporarily hosting this operational center is a special opportunity. The fact that the Maison Benelux is taking on this role fits perfectly within the spirit of the new Benelux Police Treaty. This treaty provides a strong legal and practical framework for cross-border cooperation between police services. This action demonstrates how this translates into tangible results.

Beyond its operational value, the joint command also served as a pilot project. The goal: to explore how information exchange between countries during such actions can be further optimized.

Cooperation between the four countries in this area is increasingly seen as a “best practice” within the EU for cross-border cooperation in the fight against drug-related organized crime.