Eight Arrested in Brussels Prosecutor Assassination Plot Investigation, Later Released

Arrests Made in Suspected Assassination Plot

Belgian authorities arrested eight individuals on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, in connection with a suspected plot to assassinate Julien Moinil, the chief prosecutor of Brussels. The arrests followed a series of dawn raids conducted across Brussels and Leuven, where 18 properties were searched. The suspects are believed to be involved with organized drug trafficking, potentially linked to the Albanian criminal mafia.

Suspects Released Amid Ongoing Investigation

However, all eight individuals arrested in connection with the alleged plot were subsequently released on Wednesday, November 19, 2025. The Federal Prosecutor's Office announced that an investigating judge decided to release the suspects after questioning, citing 'insufficient evidence to warrant their arrest' at this stage. The judicial investigation into the matter remains ongoing, with authorities continuing to analyze seized items.

Four-Month Probe and Prosecutor's Background

The arrests were the culmination of a four-month investigation that began in July 2025, when intelligence indicated an assassination contract had been taken out on Prosecutor Moinil. Federal prosecutor Ann Fransen confirmed the arrests, noting that the principal suspects had prior convictions related to organized drug trafficking. Fransen emphasized the critical need for enhanced protection for police officers and magistrates who combat organized crime. She also stated that, at the time of the arrests, it was 'not possible either to confirm or to rule out an assassination plot'.

Julien Moinil, who assumed the role of Brussels chief prosecutor in January 2025, has a history of confronting narcotics trafficking. His uncompromising stance has made him a repeated target. In July 2025, his threat level was elevated to category 4 – the highest possible – leading to round-the-clock armed protection. Moinil had previously received protection on two occasions during his tenure as a federal prosecutor, once during an investigation into a luxury-car fraud ring and another time following intercepted EncroChat messages that reportedly revealed a €1 million contract on his life from Albanian organized-crime figures.

Wider Context of Drug-Related Violence in Belgium

This incident underscores the significant challenges faced by Belgian law enforcement and judiciary in combating international drug syndicates. Belgium, particularly Brussels, has become a hub for criminal networks involved in cocaine imports, leading to a surge in drug-related violence. As of the end of October 2025, Brussels had recorded 78 shootings, highlighting the escalating problem of gun crime linked to rival drug gangs.