With organized crime activities shifting to the smaller airfields used for general aviation, Belgium’s General Customs and Excise Administration (Belgium Customs) has committed itself to information sharing, risk analysis and collaboration with Belgian Defence under the National Airspace Security Centre (NASC) project.

Although efforts by Belgium Customs to step up its controls at Belgian ports have undoubtedly paid off in terms of combating drug trafficking and other forms of illicit trade, this success story has also resulted in a phenomenon that is all too familiar to law enforcement authorities: the “waterbed effect”.

In response to the pressure exerted at ports, crime organizations are tending to shift their flows to entry points they consider less conspicuous, such as aerodromes used for general aviation, airstrips used by ultra-light aircraft and heliports.

This strategic change presents new monitoring and control challenges against a background of limited resources. In Belgium, six international airports and some 150 smaller aerodromes are given over to general aviation operations. Targeting those operators specifically involved in trafficking is especially complex, given the wide variety of profiles, itineraries and purposes involved.

In Belgium, six international airports and some 150 smaller aerodromes are given over to general aviation operations.

With these considerations in mind, the NASC pilot project was launched on 1 April 2025, the ultimate objective of which was to establish a mechanism for monitoring and controlling extra‑EU flights on landing at all Belgian aerodromes.

The NASC’s operational scope covers all flights categorized as general aviation, in particular business aviation, sport and recreational aviation, private jets, helicopters and ultra-light motorized aircraft, these various segments proving ripe for exploitation by traffickers due to their flexibility and reduced visibility.

Information sharing lies at the core of the NASC project. The NASC’s role is to supply to Customs and the Federal Police operational information on flights deemed to be high risk so that they can respond with targeted and efficient action. The project focuses fully on maximizing resources, having recourse to detailed risk analysis rather than systematic checks.

Two types of complementary approach have been implemented:

1. Reactive approach: where an aircraft is identified as suspicious, an inspection team from Customs or the Federal Police is despatched to the landing site on its arrival to conduct the necessary checks.
2. Ex-post approach: the information obtained during inspections is gathered together and analysed for the purpose of supporting and enhancing broader judicial investigations, thereby facilitating the identification of crime patterns, networks and possible repeat offending.

A liaison officer from Belgium Customs is posted to the Control and Reporting Centre (CRC) at Beauvechain Air Base which serves as a strategic base for the deployment of Belgian special forces’ combat helicopters and aircraft. Working within the military ranks stationed at the air base, this officer analyses flight movements by reference to specific risk criteria.

The main task of the NASC officer, namely to monitor the primary radar images captured by Belgian Defence, is performed under military supervision. The central risk criterion relies on the detection of aircraft, which are visible on the primary radars that emit waves and detect rebounding signals for the purpose of obtaining information on the targets located in their emission area but which cannot be identified on secondary radars, their sole function being to query aircraft by sending out a coded signal and measuring the signals emitted by the aircraft’s transponder.

Any such inability to identify an aircraft may indicate a voluntary deactivation of the transponder with the intention of avoiding identification and tracking. Where deactivation is intentional, this clearly points to suspicious conduct and the aircraft then becomes the specific focus of attention.

Once a suspicious aircraft has been identified, the objective is then clear: an inspection team is to be sent as a matter of urgency to the purported landing location. Speedy intervention is key to ensuring the effectiveness of the operation and to securing the evidence.

The results of its involvement are encouraging. Many instances of suspicious conduct have already been detected.

Belgium Customs recently marked one year since it began working with the NASC. The results of its involvement are encouraging. Many instances of suspicious conduct have already been detected, with sensitive information being passed to police departments and competent prosecuting authorities.

In the light of such data, it has been possible to open new criminal cases or to enhance ongoing investigations, thereby stepping up the campaign against organized crime.

The NASC is expected to deliver significant results in the short term. By combining Customs expertise, military capabilities and analytical intelligence, this innovative mechanism is establishing itself as a critical component in securing Belgian airspace in the face of illicit trafficking.

According to Kristian Vanderwaeren, Head of Belgium’s General Customs and Excise Administration, “This collaboration is an excellent initiative. We can now work more effectively and deploy our human and material resources in a much more targeted fashion.”