Dutch-Moroccan drug lord Karim Bouyakhrichan, allegedly considered one of the leading figures in the Mocro Maffia, a Moroccan organized crime group operating in the Netherlands, was reportedly released from prison in Spain due to a bureaucratic mix-up, as per Spanish news outlet El Pais.
Bouyakhrichan’s criminal group has gained notoriety for reportedly defying authorities and allegedly making threats against Dutch Crown Princess Amalia.
The discrepancy occurred when the Provincial Court of Málaga ordered the release of the Dutch-Moroccan drug lord less than six weeks after his imprisonment for money laundering in Spain.
However, the Spanish High Court, which initially favored processing an extradition request from Dutch authorities, was unaware of the decision made by the Provincial Court of Málaga.
As a result, Bouyakhrichan, one of the most wanted criminals in the Netherlands, became unaccounted for after his release. The Spanish High Court has since issued a new arrest warrant for him.
Arrested in Marbella in January, Spain’s Ministry of the Interior emphasized that he was the “most wanted and dangerous criminal in the Netherlands.”
The Mocro Maffia is notorious for smuggling large quantities of cocaine into Europe through the Dutch ports of Antwerp and Rotterdam and is also associated with murders, extortion, and kidnappings, according to the same source.
On February 22nd, following an appeal by Bouyakhrichan’s defense team, the Malaga court ordered his release pending extradition upon payment of a €50,000 bail bond with restrictions, such as surrendering his passport and regular court check-ins every two weeks.
El Pais mentioned, however, that there was still no record of whether he did the regular court check-in on April 15.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Spain’s Justice Minister Félix Bolaños conceded that the escape was “worrying news,” but insisted that security forces “will hand this person over to justice as soon as possible.” However, Minister Bolaños refused to comment on the bureaucratic error when questioned by reporters.
