A Mechelen cocaine smuggler by the name of Farhan Bouzambou has been arrested in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Bouzambou was sentenced to 11 years in prison at the end of last year for his part in a case in which Dutch television presenter Frank Masmeijer was also involved, De Standaard reports.
Bouzambou (41) had been on Interpol's international watch list since his conviction in October 2021 and was arrested at Belgium’s request, with a request for extradition to follow. Whether or not the UAE agrees to extradite the drug criminal will set an important precedent.
Belgium's Minister of Justice Vincent Van Quickenborne (Open VLD) concluded an extradition agreement in Abu Dhabi last year, but that agreement has so far been fruitless.
Multiple wanted criminals hiding out in UAE
The extradition of Nordin El Hajjioui (also known as 'fat Nordin van den Dam'), suspected of international drug smuggling, was refused on procedural grounds. The UAE also refused to extradite other big drug barons, like the Camorra boss Rafaele Imperiale and the Albanian mafia boss Denis Matoshi, to Italy.
A number of criminals wanted by Belgium, largely for drug-smuggling charges, are holding out in Dubai. If Bouzambou is extradited, the other convicted ones will know that they can no longer count on the protection of the UAE.
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Farhan Bouzambou has been staying in Dubai for several years, where he is said to run a car rental business and a well-known restaurant.
He was convicted as the front man in the case with Frank Masmeijer, who testified during the trial that Bouzambou beat him up because he failed to deliver almost 500 kg of cocaine.
Bouzambou was convicted for the first time in 2017 by the correctional court. He appealed, which resulted in a 12-year prison sentence in 2019.
Another court overturned the ruling, after which the Dubai refugee was given a retrial. The appeals court convicted Bouzambou again, but gave him a one-year sentence reduction because the case had been dragging on for so long.
