World
Belgium: Criminal Networks Use Airbnb Rentals to Hide Drugs and Cash
A growing number of criminal organisations in Belgium are using short-term rentals to hide cash, drugs, weapons or people, according to national drug commissioner Ine Van Wymersch. The properties are also used to store and package narcotics. During a weekend in early August, police seized 3.3kg of cocaine and €4,845 in cash from an Airbnb apartment in central Brussels. Belgian authorities have no precise estimate of the scale of the practice. Airbnb says criminal bookings represent a tiny minority and that it uses artificial intelligence to detect suspicious activity.