A man suspected of human trafficking was recently extradited from the UK to Belgium.
Muthanna A. allegedly played a role in a group of people traffickers who smuggled migrants across the English Channel. In October 2021, 24 of their victims drifted for two days in the North Sea.
The victims alerted the emergency services on 27 October 2021 to denounce the trafficking gang.
Setting out from northern France, their boat drifted off the coast of Zeebrugge for two days due to a faulty engine. They were finally rescued near a wind farm. Some of the victims had to be transferred to hospital by helicopter.
Over the course of the investigation, two suspects were identified in the UK. Ahmed A. and Muthanna A. were arrested, but objected to being handed over to Belgium.
Despite their opposition, Muthanna A. was finally extradited. On Tuesday morning, a court in Bruges extended his detention by a month, in the interests of the investigation.
