A French drug lord who had taken refuge in Dubai has just been extradited to France after an intense hunt. A case revealing the links between drug trafficking and the United Arab Emirates. But how did the authorities manage to get their hands on this elusive criminal? Discover the underside of this story worthy of a thriller…
It's a story worthy of the greatest thrillers. A French drug lord, sentenced to 5 years in prison and a 100,000 euro fine for repeat drug trafficking, thought he had found the ideal refuge in Dubai to escape the justice of his country. But this was without counting on the determination of the French authorities and the cooperation of the United Arab Emirates in the fight against organized crime.
According to sources close to the case, the man named Ramzy A. had fled even before his trial in France in 2023, while investigators were on his trail. Direction Dubai, which in recent years has become a popular haunt for major French criminals on the run, attracted by the splendor and apparent impunity that reign in the city of skyscrapers.
But the Emirates, keen to restore their image on the international scene, have decided to collaborate more closely with foreign justice systems. In April 2024, a French liaison magistrate was even installed in Dubai to streamline judicial cooperation and speed up extradition procedures.
An unsuccessful first arrest
This is how in December 2022, a first arrest of Ramzy A. took place in Dubai at the request of France. But the drug lord, well introduced and advised, managed to thwart the extradition procedure. A snub for the French authorities, determined not to stop there.
Because the matter is important. Ramzy A. is suspected of having been the supplier of a vast cocaine trafficking network dismantled in France. Sixteen people were convicted in this case in June 2023, including two border police officers who allegedly informed the trafficker, allowing him to narrowly escape investigators.
An extraordinary trial
In total, sentences of up to 5 and a half years in prison were handed down by the Paris criminal court during this lengthy trial, revealing the extent of the ramifications of this trafficking based on the news technologies. The traffickers actually used a digital platform to sell their goods.
“This is a strong signal sent to drug traffickers: wherever you hide, French justice will come find you and make you pay for your crimes”
– An investigator close to the case
A second successful arrest
Far from giving up, the French authorities have redoubled their efforts to obtain the extradition of the alleged mastermind of the trafficking. A second request was sent to Dubai in July 2024, this time with a commitment to re-examine Ramzy A.'s case even if he had been convicted in absentia.
Feeling the noose tightening around him, and seeing that Dubai was no longer an inviolable sanctuary, the trafficker ended up being handed over to the French authorities on December 12. A great catch which rewards months of relentless efforts and international judicial cooperation.
Towards a new trial
Now that Ramzy A. is in the hands of French justice, a new trial should be held quickly to re-examine his case. The trafficker has in fact opposed the judgment pronounced in default against him in June 2023.
This will be an opportunity for investigators and magistrates to demonstrate its central role in this vast criminal network, and to obtain sentences commensurate with the damage caused to society by this large-scale drug trafficking. The trial is expected at the end of January in Paris.
A warning to traffickers
Beyond the particular case of Ramzy A., this case is a strong signal sent to all traffickers who think they can act with impunity by taking refuge abroad. With judicial cooperation strengthening, there is no longer a paradise for criminals.
- French authorities are determined to track down traffickers wherever they hide
- Dubai no longer an inviolable sanctuary for criminals on the run
- International judicial cooperation intensifies to fight organized crime
Enough to give pause to candidates for golden exile in the Emirates or elsewhere. Even in the gleaming towers of the Gulf, the long arm of justice always ends up catching up with those who think they can escape it. A lesson that Ramzy A. learned the hard way, and which will perhaps serve as an example to others.
Feeling the noose tightening around him, and seeing that Dubai was no longer an inviolable sanctuary, the trafficker ended up being handed over to the French authorities on December 12. A great catch which rewards months of relentless efforts and international judicial cooperation.
Towards a new trial
Now that Ramzy A. is in the hands of French justice, a new trial should be held quickly to re-examine his case. The trafficker has in fact opposed the judgment pronounced in default against him in June 2023.
This will be an opportunity for investigators and magistrates to demonstrate its central role in this vast criminal network, and to obtain sentences commensurate with the damage caused to society by this large-scale drug trafficking. The trial is expected at the end of January in Paris.
A warning to traffickers
Beyond the particular case of Ramzy A., this case is a strong signal sent to all traffickers who think they can act with impunity by taking refuge abroad. With judicial cooperation strengthening, there is no longer a paradise for criminals.
- French authorities are determined to track down traffickers wherever they hide
- Dubai no longer an inviolable sanctuary for criminals on the run
- International judicial cooperation intensifies to fight organized crime
Enough to give pause to candidates for golden exile in the Emirates or elsewhere. Even in the gleaming towers of the Gulf, the long arm of justice always ends up catching up with those who think they can escape it. A lesson that Ramzy A. learned the hard way, and which will perhaps serve as an example to others.
