Antwerp clamps down on machos

‘Patsers’ are usually young men who lead a life of luxury and drive round in expensive cars without any clear legal source of income.

Prosecutors have now launched a special ‘Patser’ project to investigate whether all this luxury hasn’t been acquired using illicit gains. Often these machos don’t have a proper job and no regular income.

Antwerp prosecutors have reportedly opened ten dossiers so far. It’s alleged that four youngsters have had their vehicle seized.

The project was launched under the old mayor and is limited to several Antwerp neighbourhoods. The project was started because the youngsters often cause a disturbance by playing loud music from their cars or chasing about in an anti-social fashion.

In legal terms the investigation is examining possible money laundering. Neighbourhood officers are expected to tip off prosecutors when they see youngsters chasing about in fast cars when their families have little or no income. Prosecutors can then start an investigation into ‘visible criminal wealth’.

Prosecutor Herman Dams: "It’s a short financial investigation that examines whether or not the goods can have been acquired legally. Sometimes this is quite possible. It’s not always the case that the luxury goods have been acquired using funds generated by criminal acts."

Machos are given a chance to show that their luxury vehicle was bought with honest earnings. If this can’t be shown, then the wheels are confiscated.

[Flandersnews.be / Expatica]