Ugo Lemaire, son of Belgian former Socialist MEP Marie Arena, has been arrested in a major international investigation into alleged cannabis trafficking.
In a press release on February 3 the Brussels prosecutor’s office announced the federal judicial city police had searched several addresses in Walloon Brabant, in Liège and Namur. That came “as part of a judicial investigation into large-scale cannabis trafficking between Spain and Belgium by an alleged criminal organisation”.
“About 15 suspects have been arrested in Belgium. Among these suspects are people already convicted of drug-related offences.”
It added that a Brussels investigating judge would question the suspects on February 3 and 4.
At the time of writing, the prosecutor’s office would not release any more details in the interest of the inquiry.
On February 3, Belgian daily La Dernière Heure reported that Ugo Lemaire had that day appeared before the investigating judge who then decided to charge him and place him under arrest.
The prosecutor said the investigation was related to the ongoing probe into corruption in the European Parliament, conducted by the Central Organ for the Suppression of Corruption (OCRC).
In July 2023, Belgian police searched six locations linked to Arena and her family, almost a year into the Qatargate investigation, where a number of MEPs have been suspected of accepting cash for influence on European lawmaking.
They found just over €280,000 in cash during a raid at the home of Ugo Lemaire. Marie Arena was then Belgian MEP for the Socialist Party.
Arena reportedly opened the door to Lemaire’s flat to let the police conduct the search as he was not home at the time.
Investigators later said they could not establish a link between the cash discovered and suspected corruption in the European Parliament.
The Brussels Federal Judicial Police’s drug unit (DR9) has taken over the case, conducting an investigation separate from Qatargate.
Lemaire was the co-founder of BRC&Co, a company specialising in the sale of CBD, legal cannabis with its psychotropic substance removed. The firm’s headquarters were also searched by police.
He is the eldest son of Michel Claise, the main investigator of Qatargate at the time. Claise stepped down in June 2023 from the ongoing inquiry amid allegations of a conflict of interest.
The latest Belgian police action was reportedly triggered by the many trips Lemaire had made to Spain.
Just over €280,000 in cash was discovered during a police raid at the home of the son of Belgian MEP Marie Arena. https://t.co/ug0Iw4oyW0
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) August 30, 2023
During the police raids, as well as cash, computer equipment, cars and GPS beacons were also discovered.
Two of the cars were registered in Spain and already under investigation for drug trafficking, daily SudInfo reported.
Ugo Lemaire’s lawyer, Denis Bosquet, refused to comment on February 3 to questions by La Dernière Heure.
Belgian authorities have indicted former MEP Marie Arena for alleged membership of a criminal organisation following a two-year investigation into “Qatargate”. https://t.co/VFzqjNmaNs
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) January 21, 2025
