Cocaine smuggling suspect arrested in Spain arriving from Morocco

A drug trafficker wanted by Belgian authorities was arrested last week in Tarifa, southern Spain, as soon as he arrived by boat from Tangier. Border checks revealed that Hassan B. had been tried in absentia and sentenced to eight years' imprisonment in 2023 by a Belgian appeals court. According to Belgian newspaper GVA, Belgian justice had ordered his immediate arrest as part of a major drug case.

The 36-year-old is considered a leading figure in a criminal group accused of attempting to transport cocaine through a warehouse in Stabroek. The investigation began in 2018 when customs seized 443 kg of cocaine hidden in a container of pineapples from Costa Rica.

The investigation led to the identification of nineteen suspects, with Hassan B. believed to be one of the masterminds. He was initially sentenced to ten years' imprisonment, but the sentence was reduced on appeal.

Following his arrest in Spain, Hassan B. will first appear before a court in Madrid. The court will decide whether to extradite him to Belgium.