Dutch drug kingpin's son appears in court after UAE extradition

The son of Dutch drug kingpin Ridouan Taghi appeared in a Dutch court on Monday following his arrest and extradition from Dubai over the weekend, prosecutors said.

Faissal Taghi, 23, was sent to the Netherlands late on Friday on charges of alleged international drug smuggling, money laundering, and planning violent crimes, the Dutch Public Prosecutors' office said.

"Faissal T. will remain behind bars for 14 days," prosecutors said on X, formerly Twitter.

Taghi junior's father Ridouan, 46, was given life behind bars in February over a series of murders committed by his drug gang that shocked the Netherlands.

Ridouan Taghi was extradited to the Netherlands in 2019, but the spate of murders continued during his marathon trial.

At least three people directly connected to his court case were gunned down in broad daylight -- including a lawyer and a prominent Dutch journalist.

Faissal Taghi was arrested by United Arab Emirates authorities in August after he seemingly took on a leading role in his father's organisation called the "Angels of Death," Emirati police said in a statement.

Faissal Taghi was put on a secret flight to the Netherlands late Friday night, Dutch news reports said.

He made a preliminary appearance before an investigating judge behind closed doors, who extended the arrest by two weeks.

The Dutch penal system however says any person suspected of serious crimes carrying a penalty of at least four years and for which serious other grounds exist -- including being a flight risk -- may be kept behind bars until judges hand down a verdict.

Emirati authorities also handed over a second 46-year-old suspect who was arrested in Abu Dhabi in November on international drug smuggling charges.

Dutch media identified that man as Romeo van K., his surname not given due to Dutch privacy restrictions. The man is to make a first appearance on Tuesday.

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof praised the cooperation between Dutch and UAE authorities, saying "it happened at such a good level that the extradition could take place."

"It shows that nobody can escape the law," Schoof told the NOS public broadcaster.