Mocro Maffia Kingpin’s Nephew Nabbed in Spain: Drug Empire Crumbles as ’El Chapo de Tricht’ Gang Exposed

The nephew of Ridouan Taghi was apprehended on Saturday in Tarifa as he was about to flee Europe towards Morocco. His arrest follows a lengthy investigation into a drug trafficking network operating in the Betuwe region of the Netherlands.

The defendant had apparently managed to evade arrest the previous week when the Dutch police had arrested two men in Geldermalsen, members of a criminal network that was importing large quantities of hard and party drugs, as well as synthetic substances, into the country. The nicknamed "El Chapo de Tricht", a 34-year-old man arrested last year in Düsseldorf and considered a major player in international drug trafficking, is said to be the leader of this gang.

Searches carried out in houses in Geldermalsen, Deil, Meteren and Gorinchem led to the seizure of drugs, cash, cryptocurrency tokens and several vehicles.

Firass Taghi is well known to the Dutch police. In 2020, Youssef Taghi, the nephew and lawyer of the Mocro Maffia leader, had been the subject of an investigation for attempting to organize the escape of Ridouan Taghi from the high-security prison in Vught. Youssef Taghi was arrested and sentenced to five and a half years in prison. In 2021, Firass had been arrested for money laundering after 8,000 euros in cash were found at his home.