Antwerp drug lord Othman El Ballouti arrested in Dubai

Othman El Ballouti, a notorious figure in Antwerp’s drug trade, has been arrested in Dubai, Het Laatste Nieuws reports. His capture is seen as a breakthrough in targeting drug lords operating from abroad.

El Ballouti, nicknamed El Patron, was sentenced in absentia to seven years for trafficking 840kg of cocaine and is also linked to an 11-ton shipment seized in 2021. His arrest follows intelligence from the Sky ECC communications breach, which exposed global drug networks and implicated dozens of Antwerp-based traffickers.

Beyond his drug empire, El Ballouti is the uncle of Firdaous, an 11-year-old girl who was killed in a gang-related shooting in Antwerp last year. His two brothers are also on trial for drug offences, with prosecutors seeking 20-year sentences against the group.

El Ballouti has long claimed his 7.5 million-euro property portfolio in Dubai comes from a luxury watch business. The claim has been met with scepticism by investigators.

The United Arab Emirates has recently ramped up cooperation with Belgium, extraditing several drug offenders, including another Antwerp kingpin, Nordin El Hajjioui, earlier this year. Belgian officials now await confirmation of El Ballouti’s return.

Belgium is seeking his extradition under a 2021 treaty with the UAE.

^{#FlandersNewsService | Some 380kg of cocaine captured at Antwerp Port © BELGA PHOTO LIEVEN VAN ASSCHE}