Othman El Ballouti, a 37-year-old suspected drug trafficker linked to a global cocaine smuggling network, was arrested in Dubai, officials confirmed Monday. His capture follows an international warrant issued by Belgian authorities, accusing him of orchestrating cocaine shipments through Antwerp and laundering money for the operation.
El Ballouti was reportedly residing in a luxury apartment near Dubai’s Burj Khalifa when U.S. sanctions in 2023 identified him as a “high-level drug trafficker.” The U.S. Treasury connected him to a criminal syndicate smuggling cocaine into Europe and laundering proceeds through Chinese businesses and South American suppliers.
Dubai police transferred El Ballouti to Public Prosecution to begin extradition proceedings. It remains unclear whether he has legal representation.
The UAE, holding the Interpol presidency, has faced criticism for insufficient action against money laundering and limited extraditions, particularly amid rising Russian investments following Moscow’s war on Ukraine. However, the UAE has recently intensified high-profile arrests to address global concerns.
El Ballouti’s arrest coincides with a surge in global cocaine busts. In Russia, suspected members of a Colombian cartel were detained for attempting to smuggle cocaine into Europe. Meanwhile, Dominican Republic officials intercepted 9.5 tons of cocaine concealed in a banana shipment, and Portuguese police dismantled a major cocaine lab, seizing 1,500 kilograms of the drug.
Efforts to combat drug trafficking extend to the Balkans, where police recently arrested 11 individuals connected to smuggling cocaine from South America. Similarly, the Colombian Navy confiscated over 225 metric tons of cocaine during a multinational operation that revealed a new Pacific trafficking route.
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