Belgian authorities seized almost two-thirds less cocaine at the port of Antwerp last year than in 2023 -- a dramatic drop officials credit to better checks in Latin America. Belgium's customs agency says it seized 44 tonnes of the drug in 2024, down from a record 116 tonnes the year before. Despite the drop, "it is clear that the port of Antwerp is still the number one port used by criminal organisations", says Bob Van den Berghe of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES