Dubai Court Approves Extradition of Antwerp Drug Lord to Belgium

Wanted by the Antwerp police and justice system, Nordin El Hajjioui will be extradited to Belgium, announced Justice Minister Paul Van Tigchelt (Open VLD) to the Gazet Van Antwerpen. The Antwerp drug lord has taken refuge in Dubai for years. Several attempts by the Antwerp judicial authorities to obtain his extradition had proven fruitless.

But the Dubai Court of Cassation has just ordered the handing over of the criminal to the Belgian authorities, according to a press release. In its decision, it specifies that "Nordin El H. is accused of drug trafficking and his extradition has been requested in accordance with the extradition treaty between the United Arab Emirates and Belgium," signed in December 2021. The two countries have incorporated these conditions into their national legislation, respectively in August and October 2022.

The decision of the Court of Cassation "comes after the exhaustion of all appeal routes by the suspect. On December 7, 2023, the Dubai Court of Appeal had also decided to approve his extradition," recalls the high court, adding that the defendant "appealed this judgment to the Court of Cassation, which rejected his request on March 6, 2024 and confirmed the extradition".

Justice Minister Paul Van Tigchelt is pleased that the extradition treaty "is bearing fruit." "This is an extradition requested by the Antwerp public prosecutor’s office for nearly four years," he stressed, thanking all the stakeholders for their cooperation in the fight against international drug trafficking. "The Belgian justice system will continue to pursue fugitive criminals, wherever they are in the world. It took time, but perseverance pays off. And this certainly won’t be the last extradition," he concluded.