Wanted in both Belgium and the Netherlands, a 50-year-old fugitive nicknamed «Samir Patatje» has been arrested in Morocco, Belgian media reported on Monday.
The Antwerp resident has been wanted for international cocaine smuggling and is suspected of ecstasy smuggling and human trafficking in Morocco, the same source added.
Identified as Samir El Y., but known by the nicknames «Patatje» or «Samir Turtle», he was arrested a month ago near Casablanca.
There are cases against Samir El Y. in both Brussels and Antwerp. These cases are linked to the Sky ECC investigation, in which the police managed to intercept and decipher millions of confidential and encrypted messages between criminals.
Samir El Y., who officially lives in Borsbeek but hid in Dubai for years, used the names «Dragon» and «Isaac Griffith» within the Sky ECC, the world's largest encrypted messaging network. The system was mainly used by international crime organizations involved in drug trafficking.