Belgium's Minister of Justice, Annelies Verlinden, plans to propose increasing the justice budget by 1 billion euros by 2029 to bolster efforts against drug-related crime.

Her strategy includes strengthening law enforcement and judicial capacity through measures such as expanding prison facilities, deploying technology like jammers and drones, and mandating drug testing for inmates.

A central element of the plan is to make drug traffickers, including drug lords, pay for their incarceration and to isolate leaders of criminal organizations in special cells to prevent ongoing criminal activities from prison.

The proposed reforms aim to impose harsher penalties for drug offenses, including revising the Lejeune law on early release and enhancing the confiscation of criminal assets.

The reform also proposes creating a drug crime fund from proceeds of criminal activity, providing a recurring source of funding for justice and police operations to improve the fight against drug trafficking.