2024-03-02 16:00:00
A twist in the world of organized crime in Antwerp (Belgium): two men, Imrane EL and Ali L., initially sentenced to seven and five years in prison for drug-related attacks, were acquitted on appeal. The court ruled that there was insufficient evidence to incriminate them.
The case dates back to June 2020, when three attacks targeted the B. family and their entourage in Deurne, Sint-Niklaas and Antwerp. The cellphone ? A shipment of cocaine bearing the RM35 stamp which mysteriously disappeared in March 2020, triggering a conflict between the protagonists.
Read: “Super-cartel” dismantled in Dubai: probable extradition of an MRE to the Netherlands
Imrane EL, 27, from Schoten, was considered one of the instigators of the attacks. His alleged involvement was largely based on encrypted messages sent via Sky ECC, a messaging service popular with criminals including those linked to the Mocro Maffia. The prosecution suspected him of hiding behind the pseudonym “Boss Backup” and of having orchestrated the attacks.
However, the appeal court was not convinced by the evidence. In particular, she noted flaws in the identification of Imrane EL. His lawyer, Jorgen Van Laer, welcomed the acquittal: “We were able to refute various elements of the identification and demonstrate to the court that it was not was not correct. »
Ali L., 26, from Ranst, was also acquitted. The court praised his cooperation with the investigation and the absence of concrete evidence of his involvement in the criminal organization.
Although the Belgian courts have delivered their verdict, the case is not yet over for Imrane EL. The latter, who never attended the trial, is currently in prison in Dubai. He had traveled to the United Arab Emirates following his acquittal using a false passport, and was arrested.
Belgium might request the extradition of Imrane EL so that he can serve a four-year prison sentence previously handed down for cocaine trafficking. The Antwerp public prosecutor’s office is currently examining the possibility of such a step.
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