Latest news with #drug trafficking
The Independent
a day ago
- The Independent
British pensioner arrested on suspicion of smuggling 60kg of cannabis resin from Spain
A British pensioner has been arrested trying to smuggle more than 60kg of cannabis resin from Spain. Police detained the 69-year-old unnamed Briton after discovering the drugs in a 'hidden' compartment built into the roof of a UK-registered vehicle at Ceuta, Spain's North African enclave, on Sunday evening. The Civil Guard said the car was bound for the port of Algeciras, near Gibraltar. Photos released by the authorities showed dozens of packages containing 62.3kg of cannabis. The packages were branded with names including "dream gelato" and "cereal milk". Authorities searched the vehicle after a sniffer dog helping with routine checks grew visibly agitated near the car, prompting a more extensive search. The suspect has been taken into custody. He will later be brought to court under an alleged drug trafficking offence. A spokesman for the Civil Guard in Ceuta said: 'A total of 62.3 kilos of cannabis resin was discovered in a secret compartment in the roof of the vehicle. 'The driver, a British man born in 1956 who was registered as a UK resident, was subsequently arrested. 'The suspect will now go before a court in Ceuta as the suspected author of a crime of drug trafficking. 'The drugs have been seized and handed over to a central government delegation and the vehicle is now under the supervision of the courts.'
Sky News
a day ago
- Sky News
British man arrested in Spain after allegedly attempting to smuggle over 60kg of cannabis resin on to ferry
A British pensioner has been arrested in Spain after allegedly attempting to smuggle more than 60kg of cannabis resin on to a ferry. The man was detained after police discovered the drug in a UK-registered vehicle at Ceuta, Spain's North African enclave, on Sunday evening. The Civil Guard said the car was bound for the port of Algeciras, with the 62.3kg of cannabis"hidden" in a concealed compartment built into the roof of the vehicle. The packages were branded with names including "dream gelato" and "cereal milk". The force said officers carried out a thorough search of the car after being alerted by a sniffer dog. The Civil Guard said the arrested driver was a UK native and resident, and was born in 1956, making him 68 or 69. The suspect was taken into custody and will later be brought to court under an alleged drug trafficking offence. A Civil Guard spokesperson added that the "seized substance" will be handed over to a governmental health department, while the vehicle will be placed under the supervision of the courts.
LBCI
2 days ago
- Politics
- LBCI
Kuwaiti Interior Minister discusses drug trafficking and security cooperation in Beirut with Minister Hajjar
Kuwaiti Interior Minister Sheikh Fahad Yusuf Saud Al-Sabah, following his meeting with Lebanon's Interior Minister Ahmad Hajjar, emphasized that 'Lebanon and Kuwait have been brotherly nations for a long time, and the most important issue I wanted to discuss was drug trafficking.' He stated, 'Kuwait has always supported and continues to support its sister countries. The Kuwait Fund allocates funds for Development, and I spoke with the Prime Minister, who promised to prepare a timeline and list of needs based on the available funds.' He added, 'There's good news that you will soon hear from your president, not from me.' For his part, Hajjar noted that the talks focused on overall security cooperation and that implementation began immediately after the meeting, as a specialized Kuwaiti team held direct meetings with their Lebanese counterparts. He added, 'We discussed security cooperation between Kuwait and Lebanon, and a specialized team from Kuwait met with a Lebanese team to address security collaboration, particularly regarding drug-related issues.'
The National
3 days ago
- The National
Dubai Police extradite alleged crime lord wanted for trafficking in Belgium
Dubai Police have arrested and extradited three alleged Belgian crime gang leaders facing human and drug trafficking charges in their home country. The three suspects — Mathias Akyazili, Giorgi Faes and Othman El Ballouti — were listed in the most-wanted category by the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) and the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol). Dubai Media Office said on Sunday that the three men were held based on Interpol red notices issued against them, in an operation carried out by police in Dubai in close co-ordination with international law enforcement agencies. The trio have been handed over to authorities in their native Belgium, where they are accused of serious cross-border crimes, including operating a gang, trafficking narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, committing robbery and engaging in human trafficking. El Ballouti was sanctioned by the US government in July 2023 on suspicion of international drug trafficking. The Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said he oversaw an international crime network responsible for smuggling "significant quantities of cocaine via shipping containers through the Port of Antwerp in Belgium for wider distribution throughout Europe". Dubai Police previously announced his arrest in connection with international organised crime and drug trafficking in December, 2024. The Belga News Agency in Belgium said at the time that his arrest represented a breakthrough for efforts in the country to target drug lords operating abroad. It said El Ballouti was sentenced in his absence to seven years imprisonment for trafficking 840kg of cocaine. His extradition and those of his two fellow suspects followed a Dubai Police investigation, conducted in co-ordination with the Ministry of Interior and led by the General Department of Criminal Investigation, in response to an international arrest warrant submitted by Belgian authorities to the International Co-operation Department at the UAE Ministry of Justice. "All required legal and judicial formalities were duly complied with before proceeding with the extradition request," Dubai Media Office said. Dubai Police emphasised its commitment to supporting efforts to build a strong global security network to combat criminal activity. Ministers discuss extradition Abdullah Al Nuaimi, the UAE's Minister of Justice, spoke by phone with Annelies Verlinden, Belgium's Minister of Justice, after a plane carrying the three wanted men arrived in Belgium. The suspects were extradited under rulings issued by the Dubai Court of Cassation, in line with bilateral agreements in place between the Emirates and Belgium. An extradition treaty was agreed between the countries in December 2021 and came into force the following November. Both ministers said joint co-operation demonstrated the commitment of both nations to the fight against organised crime and drugs-related violence and to ensuring those accused of serious offences are brought to justice.
The National
3 days ago
- The National
Dubai Police arrest and extradite fugitives wanted for trafficking in Belgium
Dubai Police have arrested and extradited three alleged Belgian crime gang members facing human and drug trafficking charges in their home country. The three suspects — Mathias Akyazili, Giorgi Faes and Othman El Ballouti — were listed in the most-wanted category by the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) and the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol). Dubai Media Office said on Sunday that the three men were held based on Interpol red notices issued against them, in an operation carried out by police in Dubai in close co-ordination with international law enforcement agencies. The trio have been handed over to authorities in their native Belgium, where they are accused of serious cross-border crimes, including operating a gang, trafficking narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, committing robbery and engaging in human trafficking. Their extradition followed a Dubai Police investigation, conducted in co-ordination with the Ministry of Interior and led by the General Department of Criminal Investigation, in response to an international arrest warrant submitted by Belgian authorities to the International Co-operation Department at the UAE Ministry of Justice. "All required legal and judicial formalities were duly complied with before proceeding with the extradition request," Dubai Media Office said.
