BRUSSELS: One of Belgium’s most-wanted suspected drug smugglers was extradited from Dubai on Friday, the Bel­gian justice ministry said.

Nordin El Hajjioui, a Be­lgian of Moroccan origin, is believed to be one of the main drug barons in Antwerp and is wanted in three cocaine-trafficking cases. Emirati officials first arrested the 36-year-old in 2020 in Dubai after a request from Belgium, but then released him. He was taken back into custody last year.

He challenged his extradition in the courts, but a top Emirati court gave the green light this month.

Belgium’s VRT channel said the suspect, known as “Big Nordin”, was flown out on a plane specially chartered by Belgian authorities.

The Antwerp public prosecutor’s office said the three cases which El Hajjioui is wanted for involved a “massive importation” of cocaine into Europe.

The port of Antwerp is the main European gateway for cocaine coming from Latin America.

Belgium signed an extr­a­dition agreement with the United Arab Emirates in Dec 2021. Officials say several suspected drug barons reside in that country in a bid to escape European jurisdictions.

Europe made a significant breakthrough in the fight against drug smuggling in 2021 after Belgium, working with French and Dutch police, cracked an encrypted communications network called Sky ECC that had been favour­ed by criminal gangs.

That trail led to suspects living in Dubai, leading to at least seven international arrest warrants being issued for them.

The first extradition from the UAE to Belgium was an Albanian trafficker in December last year. Belgian authorities are still seeking the handover of some 20 more citizens, a source close to the matter said.

Published in Dawn, March 30th, 2024