The majority of the addresses were in the vicinity of Lemmensplein in the part of Anderlecht known as Kuregem, the scene of violent clashes between police and youths earlier in the year and a part of the city claimed by some to be a police no-go area. Property seized included equipment for growing cannabis, seven luxury cars and €280,000 in cash.

The operation was 18 months in preparation, a police source said. The investigation into the gang, who are claimed to have made some €60 million in drug money, started at the beginning of 2009, when police were tipped off about trade in cannabis. The clashes with gangs of youths are thought to have been orchestrated by the gang in order to throw up a smoke-screen.

“The gang wanted to create a zone where the police had no place and where it alone made the law, so it could carry on its drugs traffic undisturbed,” explained Glenn Audenaert, director of the judicial wing of the federal police in Brussels. “We’ve always said we wouldn’t stand for that, but it’s taken some time to gather together the necessary information and evidence. Today, we’re able to completely dismantle this whole organisation.”

Following the raids of Tuesday, 25 May, several other search warrants were executed on Wednesday, this time on the financial side of the investigation. The gang is thought to have invested the proceeds of its traffic in real estate, for a value of €20 million, possibly going as high as €60 million. Among those suspected of involvement are notaries who may have failed to carry out their legal obligation to notify the authorities about transactions involving payments above €15,000 – an EU law designed to combat money laundering.

By coincidence, Wednesday, 26 May, also saw the publication of figures that show that street crime in Kuregem has fallen by 30% over the past year, thanks to a policy of zero tolerance operated by police in the area. In some cases, the results are even more spectacular: while armed robberies are down 17% and car thefts down 31%, the number of thefts from cars fell by a massive 48%.

The zero tolerance policy was instituted following the troubles in the area at the start of the year. “More blue on the street is good for security,” said interior minister Annemie Turtelboom. Anderlecht mayor Gaëtan Van Goidsenhoven also welcomed the figures as “an important step in the normalisation of the area’s way of life,” but advised caution.

“We cannot claim victory too soon,” he said. “We’ve achieved an impressive result, but the war is not over yet.” Both he and Turtelboom promised the zero tolerance policy would continue “as long as necessary”.

• Meanwhile in Antwerp, mayor Patrick Janssens pledged to fight against senseless violence following an incident in which a group of youths ran amok, attacking bystanders without reason. Three people were stabbed, one man five times. Two others were beaten up nearby, police think by the same group. On Monday, one of the suspects was arrested, and the Antwerp prosecutor’s office said it was intensifying efforts to track down the remaining suspects.