The son of Dutch drug lord Ridouan Taghi appeared in a Dutch court on Monday after being arrested in Dubai over the weekend and extradited, prosecutors said.
Dutch prosecutors said Faisal Taghi, 23, was extradited to the Netherlands late on Friday to face charges of international drug smuggling, money laundering and conspiracy to commit violent crimes.
“Faisal T will be jailed for 14 days,” the prosecutor’s office said on Twitter.
Taghi Jr’s father, Ridduan, 46, was sentenced to life in prison in February for a series of drug cartel murders that shocked the Netherlands.
Ridduan Taghi was extradited to the Netherlands in 2019, but the killings continued throughout his lengthy trial.
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At least three people directly involved in his trial were gunned down in broad daylight, including his lawyer and a prominent Dutch journalist.
Faisal Taghi, believed to have held a leadership role in his father’s “Angels of Death” organisation, was arrested by UAE authorities in August, the UAE Police said in a statement.
According to Dutch reports, Faisal Taghi left for the Netherlands on a secret flight late on Friday night.
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He made a preliminary appearance before an investigating judge in private and his arrest was extended by two weeks.
However, the Dutch penal system provides that suspects of serious crimes carrying a sentence of at least four years, and who pose other serious reasons for their indictment, such as a flight risk, can be detained until a judge rules on them.
UAE authorities also extradited a second suspect, a 46-year-old man arrested in Abu Dhabi in November on suspicion of international drug smuggling.
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Dutch media identified the man as Romeo van K., whose surname cannot be released due to Dutch privacy regulations. He is due to have his first hearing in court on Tuesday.
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Shoaf praised the cooperation between Dutch and UAE authorities, saying “there was a good level of cooperation which allowed the handover to take place.”
“It shows that no one is above the law,” Shoaf told state broadcaster NOS.
Jae/Im