Brussels: Over 550 security personnel were deployed across Brussels on Friday to tackle rising violence linked to drug trafficking, according to Belgian broadcaster RTL. Police and military personnel carried out a large-scale control operation in several neighbourhoods across Brussels. According to Anadolu Agency, the operation involved more than 550 officers, including 70 military personnel. Officers conducted checks and made arrests to address the insecurity in certain neighborhoods and assert the presence of public authorities. Eight people were detained, primarily for possessing narcotics in quantities far exceeding personal consumption. Interior Minister Bernard Quintin emphasized that the primary message of the operation is to ensure that the streets and metro stations in Brussels belong to the citizens, allowing them to feel safe. He highlighted the use of state power, involving different levels of police and, for the first time, the army, to achieve this goal. Quintin urged everyone to take responsi bility, describing the situation as a national emergency.