Kempen region seizes over €1.1 million in criminal assets as drug crime crackdown intensifies
Residents in the Kempen region can breathe easier as authorities dismantled 12 cannabis sites and seized over €1.1 million in criminal assets in 2025. The crackdown on drug-related crime, including 28 arrests, highlights efforts to protect communities from fire risks and illegal activities.
| Key Data | Details |
|---|---|
| Region | Kempen (Bergeijk, Best, Bladel, Eersel, Oirschot, Reusel-De Mierden, Veldhoven, Waalre) |
| Criminal assets seized | Over €1.1 million |
| Cannabis cultivation sites | 12 dismantled (8 involved electricity theft) |
| Drug locations discovered | 8 with commercial quantities of drugs |
| Drug houses closed | 19 temporarily |
| Arrests | 28 drug dealers |
| Tax corrections | €12.4 million (7 tax book investigations) |
| Anonymous reports | 95 (via Meld Misdaad Anoniem campaign) |
Basisteam De Kempen, a collaboration of eight municipalities, police, and other authorities, plays a critical role in combating organized crime in rural and urban areas. Their efforts focus on disrupting illegal activities, safeguarding communities, and enforcing regulations to maintain public safety.
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Basisteam De Kempen tackles undermining crime firmly
Over €1.1 million in criminal assets seized in 2025
Basisteam De Kempen achieved significant results in 2025 in combating undermining crime. The eight municipalities in the Kempen region – Bergeijk, Best, Bladel, Eersel, Oirschot, Reusel-De Mierden, Veldhoven and Waalre – worked closely with police, the Public Prosecution Service, the Tax and Customs Administration and various other partners to achieve this.
Increasing pressure on rural areas
Rural areas remain vulnerable due to factors such as increasing vacancy and the decline in agricultural activity. Criminals are trying to take advantage of this. That is why the basic team invested extra in 2025 in raising awareness, contact with farmers and practical resilience. For example, a meeting was held with ZLTO chairmen and a contribution was made to the province's podcast Brabant Op De Radar.
Results
- 12 cannabis cultivation sites dismantled, eight of which involved electricity theft – situations with high fire risk.
- 8 locations with commercial quantities of drugs discovered.
- 19 drug houses temporarily closed.
- 28 drug dealers arrested.
- 13 penalties imposed under penalty of default.
- Over €1.1 million in criminal assets seized.
- 7 tax book investigations conducted by the Tax and Customs Administration, resulting in €12.4 million in tax corrections.
Preventive measures were also taken. With the Undermining Container, social media campaigns and participation in the national Meld Misdaad Anoniem campaign, awareness increased. This led to 95 anonymous reports about drug-related crime.
The number of cannabis cultivation sites found has increased compared to last year. Notably, the sites are smaller in scale but are more often found in residential properties. This year, no drug labs were found in our basic team area; regionally and nationally, a decline in such labs has also been observed. Since the number of drug production locations found depends on many factors, the increases or decreases cannot currently be explained.
Resilient government
Finally, the eight municipalities invested in a resilient government, including a uniform Damocles policy (application of authority to temporarily close drug houses, among other things), setting up an internal structure to better follow up on signals of undermining, and training for employees.