Defendant Anthony H. will not be present at the reopening of major drug-trafficking Costa trial in March, as a Dutch judge has denied Belgium’s extradition request due to deplorable conditions at Mechelen prison.
Anthony H. is a key figure in the Costa case, which involves a large-scale drug trafficking network from South America to Belgium. He is suspected of assisting Geert Frisson and Lucio Aquino, two main defendants in the case.
Investigators claim Anthony H. managed logistics for drug imports carried out by Frisson’s organisation and invested funds for Aquino’s operations. His cocaine imports allegedly brought him profits exceeding €68 million.
Last year, Anthony H. was arrested in Dubai and extradited to the Netherlands, where he is also facing drug trafficking charges. He had expressed his intention to attend the Costa trial personally, prompting Belgian authorities to request his extradition.
The plan was for him to be held in Mechelen prison during the trial, but the Amsterdam court ultimately rejected the request.
The Dutch court cited overcrowding and hygiene issues in Belgian prisons, concluding that conditions at Mechelen prison were unacceptable.
