Belgian and French police carried out a surprise joint operation along crossings from De Panne to Doornik between 19:00 and 01:00 on the night of 21–22 November, stopping 734 people and 518 vehicles. Officers issued 67 traffic fines, revoked 19 driving licences, seized four uninsured cars and opened six judicial cases—one involving suspected human-smuggling.
The checks were coordinated from the Franco-Belgian Police & Customs Cooperation Centre (CCPD) in Doornik and focused on known corridors for drug couriers and roaming theft gangs. Although strictly a law-enforcement exercise, the blitz underscores a widening trend toward ad-hoc identity checks inside the Schengen Area as capitals prepare for the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) rollout in 2026.
![Overnight Border Blitz Checks 734 Travellers on Belgian–French Frontier]()
Cross-border commuters—many of whom live in northern France but work in Flanders—reported delays of up to 45 minutes. Mobility managers running shuttle vans for shift workers at automotive plants in West Flanders said they had to rearrange rosters to avoid overtime breaches.
Police spokespeople framed the operation as a “strong message” to criminal networks exploiting open borders, but business associations cautioned that unpredictable controls could erode labour-market flexibility in frontier zones. Companies are advising staff to carry passports or Belgian residence cards even for routine cross-border trips.
With EU ministers debating tougher Schengen-suspension mechanisms, such high-profile sweeps are likely to increase. Employers should factor possible spot checks into travel-time estimates and ensure vehicle documentation is fully compliant.
The checks were coordinated from the Franco-Belgian Police & Customs Cooperation Centre (CCPD) in Doornik and focused on known corridors for drug couriers and roaming theft gangs. Although strictly a law-enforcement exercise, the blitz underscores a widening trend toward ad-hoc identity checks inside the Schengen Area as capitals prepare for the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) rollout in 2026.
Cross-border commuters—many of whom live in northern France but work in Flanders—reported delays of up to 45 minutes. Mobility managers running shuttle vans for shift workers at automotive plants in West Flanders said they had to rearrange rosters to avoid overtime breaches.
Police spokespeople framed the operation as a “strong message” to criminal networks exploiting open borders, but business associations cautioned that unpredictable controls could erode labour-market flexibility in frontier zones. Companies are advising staff to carry passports or Belgian residence cards even for routine cross-border trips.
With EU ministers debating tougher Schengen-suspension mechanisms, such high-profile sweeps are likely to increase. Employers should factor possible spot checks into travel-time estimates and ensure vehicle documentation is fully compliant.
