The capture of “Bibi” seemed like a trophy. At the beginning of November 2023, a few days after a quick visit to the United Arab Emirates by Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin, the local police announced the arrest of the French drug trafficker Abdelkader Bouguettaia, known to his relatives and investigators, under the nickname “Bibi”. Considered by the Anti-Drugs Bureau (Ofast). “Target of primary interest”, this 36-year-old man, against whom Interpol had issued a red notice, was sentenced to nine years in prison by the Lille court in May 2023. He is also the protagonist of several ongoing investigations.

Abdelkader Bouguettaia, against whom there has been a national arrest warrant since December 10, 2021 and a European arrest warrant since February 7, 2022, was wanted as part of an investigative file by the national court responsible for combating organized crime (Junalco) following his discovery in July In 2020, 2.5 tons of cocaine were transported from the port of Cartagena, Colombia, to the port of Le Havre, where the drug was discovered hidden in a cargo of sugar.

The satisfaction of the French authorities has turned to bitterness. In mid-December, the Emirati judiciary released the human trafficker from Le Havre, according to confirmed information World from the Paris public prosecutor’s office, which specifies this “The elements for his surrender were handed over by the French authorities, but this could not be organized within the legal period of forty days, after which he was released.”.

U-turn

The Emirati judicial authorities justify their refusal to hand over the detainee to France on the grounds that they have not received all the documents necessary to carry out this procedure. An argument that hardly convinces the French authorities, who are disappointed but not surprised by such a turnaround. In fact, relations regarding judicial cooperation are chaotic, and the effective implementation of extraditions is characterized by a lack of understanding and even shrouded in secrecy.

“Rich exchange about our security and justice cooperation as well as the fight against drug traffickers”Nevertheless, he had impressed the Interior Minister in a tweet: to comment on his hopefully fruitful visit on October 25th. “The minister and his counterpart [Saif Ben Zayed Al Nahyane, vice-premier ministre et ministre de l’intérieur] underlined the quality of bilateral relations”, Those around him also filed a complaint when he returned… But the coup of the arrest of the refugee from Le Havre did not withstand the intransigence of the Emirati judicial authorities.

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