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Illegal cafe found in Limburg quarries

Police raid illegal cafe in Limburg caves
21:42 14/02/2022

Five people were caught by police on Friday night enjoying drinks in an illegal cafe located deep in the marl quarries of Kanne, Limburg.  

The cafe, dubbed ‘Difficilia quae pulchra’ (What is beautiful takes effort) in Latin, was located deep in the underground passages of the Muizenberg, which are considered unsafe and off limits, reports De Standaard

“After climbing for half an hour, deep in the quarry, a sort of cafe was found with chairs, tables and even a bar built in marl,” said chief of police Dirk Claes.  

“It was a shielded construction with a door and windows that must have been there for a while and was visited regularly, although further investigation has yet to reveal that.”

Cafe in underground cave system in Limburg

Candles were there to provide lighting and the cafe’s name was written above its entrance.

Mayor Mark Vos (CD&V) called the existence of the illegal cafe outrageous. “The quarries are closed, but unwanted visitors keep breaking into them. Whoever ventures into the quarries not only runs the risk of getting lost, but also risks his own safety,” Vos said. 

“The caves are unstable and during regular inspections, new collapses are often observed. It is therefore life-threatening and irresponsible to enter them as a layman.”

Marl is a type of rock and the Limburg marl quarries are around 250 large and small corridor systems forming a network of caves, a result of the extraction of chalk and limestone over the past centuries. 

Bilzen-Hoeselt-Riemst police combed the area after receiving reports that several people were in the caves, and confiscated marijuana from two male patrons. 

Among the people caught were a Dutchman and a couple from Meerssen in the province of Limburg, who had their eight-year-old child and a baby with them. 

Police confiscated the marijuana and the illegal visitors were escorted out and given a fine.

Photos: Bilzen-Hoeselt-Riemst police

 

Written by Helen Lyons