Belgian authorities have arrested five men, including three bar managers, in connection with the rape and sexual assault of at least 41 women, according to local police and prosecutors.

The investigation centers on drink spiking incidents that allegedly occurred between December 2021 and December 2024 in Kortrijk, a city in northwestern Belgium. The three bar managers are accused of operating establishments where the assaults took place and are believed to have communicated with each other about the attacks, officials said.

According to the Western Flanders Public Prosecutor’s Office, two of the five men appeared before an investigating judge on Thursday, while two others remain in police custody and are being questioned. The fifth suspect has been released after being interviewed.

The men face charges including rape, sexual assault, and the unlawful administration of harmful substances. Authorities say the victims’ drinks were likely spiked with ketamine, a powerful anesthetic that is sometimes misused recreationally for its hallucinogenic and sedative effects.

“The young women were offered shots of alcohol, often with an amaretto flavor, after which they woke up groggy in an unfamiliar bed or at home, showing clear signs of sexual abuse,” said Tom Janssens, a spokesperson for the prosecutor’s office, in an interview with Flemish broadcaster VRT.

The case has sparked widespread concern in Belgium, with calls for increased safety measures in nightlife venues and more robust action against sexual violence. The investigation remains ongoing.