Extradition of a Moroccan drug baron from Dubai

Upon his return to Belgian territory, Nordin El Ballouti was transferred to the Haren prison. Convicted at the end of 2024 to seven years in prison for the massive importation of cocaine through the port of Antwerp, the 46-year-old man was known under the pseudonym "Mr. Me" on the encrypted Sky ECC network. Having consented to his extradition to put an end to a procedure that had been dragging on since his arrest last April, he will be the subject of a separate trial on March 27.

This arrival is part of a family context marked by constant judicial pressure on the three El Ballouti brothers. His return to Belgium follows that of his brother Othman, extradited last summer, while their younger brother, Younes, remains incarcerated in Morocco after his arrest in September.

Meanwhile, while most of the priority targets have left Dubai for Belgium or Morocco, the case of Omar Govers remains pending in the Emirates, where a hearing regarding his own extradition procedure is expected shortly.