WEDNESDAY, 6 MARCH 2024 - 21:30

Criminal who was wanted in the Netherlands released by Spanish authorities
A court in Spain released a criminal following his January arrest, even though he was wanted by authorities in the Netherlands. When Karim B. was taken into custody, Spanish police said he was "the most wanted and dangerous criminal in the Netherlands."

Spain's National Police arrested the Amsterdam man and five others as part of an investigation that began in June 2018. They were arrested in Malaga and Melilla on accusations of laundering over six million euros in revenue earned from drug trafficking, and allegations of participating in organized crime.

The Dutch Public Prosecution Service (OM) immediately filed an extradition request, but he was released from pre-trial detention, the OM told NOS this week. He is still considered a criminal suspect in Spain, and the extradition request has not been withdrawn despite the fact he is no longer in jail.

When Spanish police arrested the six individuals, they also froze a large number of assets, including three million euros in dozens of bank accounts, and 172 properties valued at a total of 50 million euros. Approximately 75 thousand euros in cash was seized, along with 10 thousand euros in jewellery and two firearms.

Spanish police said B. is "one of the leaders of the so-called Mocro Maffia, considered by the Netherlands as its most wanted and dangerous criminal." He was also alleged to be "a long time drug trafficker in the Costa del Sol" who brought together cocaine traffickers for a significant fee. The six were believed to have been running a Hawala-style system where money and assets are shifted around repeatedly as part of a laundering scheme, with ties to Morocco, the Dominican Republic, the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands and Spain.

B.'s brother, Samir, was assassinated in Marbella a decade ago as he walked out of a shopping center. Authorities speculated that Karim took over Samir's cocaine trafficking operation.

Considered a rival to convicted organized crime boss Ridouan Taghi, B. may have been a recent assassination target.

"The king is dead, long live the king!"