Othman El Ballouti: drug lord arrested in Dubai soon to be extradited to Belgium

The Emirati police confirmed this Monday, December 9, the arrest in Dubai of Othman El Ballouti, one of the most wanted Belgian drug lords in the world. The arrest of the man of Moroccan origin follows an intense manhunt carried out jointly by the Belgian authorities and Interpol.

El Ballouti, targeted by a red notice for his involvement in transnational organized crime, is accused of pulling the strings of a vast drug smuggling network operating from the port of Antwerp. The latter, a real gateway for drugs into Europe, serves as a hub for the transport of cocaine to the continent.