Othman El Ballouti, a prominent international drug trafficker and one of Belgium’s most wanted fugitives, has been apprehended in Dubai, according to a Belgian judiciary source. Authorities in Brussels plan to pursue his extradition.
El Ballouti is accused of orchestrating a major cocaine smuggling operation through the Port of Antwerp, a key European gateway for illicit drugs. The United States had previously sanctioned him for allegedly leading an international crime syndicate and engaging in money laundering.
“We obtained his arrest, and we will now work towards his extradition,” the source stated, noting that several cases are tied to El Ballouti in Belgium. The extradition process will proceed under an agreement signed between Belgium and the UAE in 2021.
El Ballouti’s younger brother and an associate were also sanctioned by the US Treasury, which highlighted the criminal ring’s role in distributing large quantities of cocaine across Europe.
Antwerp’s port has been a hotbed for drug trafficking, with cocaine seizures reaching a record 116 tonnes in 2023.
