Othman El Ballouti, one of Belgium’s most sought-after international drug traffickers, has been apprehended in Dubai, a judiciary source reported on Tuesday. Brussels plans to pursue his extradition.
El Ballouti is accused of orchestrating a significant drug smuggling operation at the Belgian port of Antwerp, which is recognised as one of Europe’s key drug entry points, and he is also under US sanctions.
Belgium and the United Arab Emirates entered into an extradition agreement in 2021.
It is believed that several drug lords have sought refuge in Dubai after Belgian, Dutch, and French authorities successfully dismantled the Sky ECC encrypted communications network utilised by smugglers in 2019.
Regarding El Ballouti, the source mentioned, “Belgium has multiple cases seeking his extradition” — he is a well-known figure in the country’s criminal underbelly, and last year, his 11-year-old niece was reportedly killed in a shooting incident in Antwerp.
Last year, he was subjected to sanctions by the US Treasury for allegedly leading an “international criminal organisation” and engaging in money laundering activities.
According to the US Treasury, El Ballouti’s trafficking network “smuggles large volumes of cocaine through shipping containers at the Port of Antwerp in Belgium for extensive distribution across Europe.”
His younger brother and an accomplice were also placed under sanctions.
The port of Antwerp serves as a major hub for narcotics being smuggled from South America into the European market, and law enforcement frequently conducts drug busts in and around this massive facility. Last year, cocaine seizures at the port reached an unprecedented total of 116 tonnes.
