DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Authorities in Dubai announced on Monday the arrest of a suspected drug trafficker involved in a significant international drug smuggling operation linked to the Belgian port of Antwerp. Othman El Ballouti, whose name had been sanctioned by the U.S. last year, was detained following an international arrest warrant issued by Belgian officials.

El Ballouti’s case has now been forwarded to the Dubai Public Prosecution, where legal procedures regarding his extradition will take place. The details surrounding his legal representation remain unclear at this time.

The 37-year-old was reportedly residing in the UAE, a federation encompassing seven emirates, including the capital, Abu Dhabi. In 2023, the U.S. Treasury designated him as a “high-level drug trafficker,” indicating the severity of his alleged activities.

According to a statement from the Treasury, El Ballouti oversees a vast criminal organization responsible for smuggling large amounts of cocaine through shipping containers at the port of Antwerp, with the end goal of distributing the drugs across Europe. The U.S. authorities highlighted that his operations are tied to money laundering networks and narcotics supply chains linked to businesses in China and cocaine suppliers in South America.

When the sanctions were imposed, the U.S. pointed to El Ballouti’s residence in a luxurious apartment complex located in downtown Dubai, which is situated near the iconic Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world.

As the UAE currently leads the international police organization Interpol, scrutiny around its approaches to money laundering and extradition practices has intensified, particularly regarding the influx of Russian funds during the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

In light of this increased scrutiny, the UAE has responded by making a series of high-profile arrests aimed at facilitating the extradition of individuals wanted by Western authorities.