Aarschot drug incidents double in a year; police note rural spread

Local police in Aarschot report a doubling of drug incidents year-on-year, with five arrests last month including couriers in the rural sub-municipality of Rilaar. Chief Bart Van Thienen highlights that drug distribution has expanded into Flemish countryside areas, indicating a broader rural penetration of the drug trade. The trend suggests a growing law-enforcement challenge in smaller municipalities, though the data is limited to one locality.