Skip to main content
Home

Main navigation

  • Top stories
  • Health
  • Crime
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Weird
  • 1-1-2
Image
Ridouan Taghi
Ridouan Taghi - Credit: Photo: Politie
Crime
Ridouan Taghi
Morocco
Dubai
United Arab Emirates
Erik Akerboom
Abdellatif Hammouchi
undermining crime
Ronald Bakker
Samir Erraghib
Ranko Skekic
Martin Kok
Hakim Chengachi
assassination
murder
mistaken identity murder
police
Monday, 23 December 2019 - 13:24
Share this:
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
  • reddit

Morocco's cooperation key to catching Ridouan Taghi: Dutch police chief

Dutch authorities said their counterparts in Morocco were essential to the eventual arrest of fugitive suspected crime boss Ridouan Taghi. The arrest, which took place in Dubai, could have been complicated by the lack of an extradition treaty between Dubai and the Netherlands, and would have been complicated further had Morocco also requested extradition due to allegations that Taghi ordered a 2017 cafe shooting in Marrakech where a medical student died and his classmate was injured.

Taghi, who turned 42 on Friday, was incarcerated at the maximum security facility in Vught pending trial.

"I have personally thanked my colleagues from Dubai and Morocco. The latter especially because we were able to work wonderfully with their people despite a chilly political relationship," said Erik Akerboom, the Chief of Police in the Netherlands, in a post on social media. Sources told Moroccan media outlet Hespress that Akerboom also expressed his gratitude to national security leader, Abdellatif Hammouchi.

"Teamwork is sometimes a tired concept, but it's the key to success in tackling 'undermining' crime," Akerboom said, referring to criminality that is used to undermine societal norms and the rule of law. "No criminal may remain untraceable and unassailable," he said directly referring also to Taghi.

Moroccan intelligence services tipped off Dutch and Dubaite authorities that Taghi was present in the Arab emirate, Hammouchi said according to media outlets in that country. This led to months of surveillance at a villa in a newly-built section of Dubai where Taghi was holed-up, curtains drawn, with no clear view as to who was entering or leaving the premises.

Meanwhile, investigators in Dubai discovered Taghi entered the country on a false passport, meaning he could be deported and handed over to Dutch officials instead of following a lengthy extradition procedure. Police in Dubai raided the property, arresting Taghi and a female friend without incident.

Within days he was flown back to Dutch soil. Taghi's first court appearance in the so-called Marengo criminal case could take place in February. Taghi was being prosecuted in that case in absentia.

The Marengo hearings involve the 2015 murder of Ronald Bakker, the 2016 murders of Samir Erraghib, Ranko Skecic, and crime writer Martin Kok, and the 2017 mistaken identity murder of Hakim Changachi. Taghi has been reportedly tied to several other killings as well.

Follow us:

Latest stories

  • Delayed care in Covid cost at least 320,000 years of life: RIVM
  • Farmers' protests: Some 15 arrested at distribution blockades, 200 fined on highways
  • Cyber threat increasing faster than Dutch companies' resilience
  • Fourth person arrested in Peter R. de Vries murder Monday afternoon
  • Over 350 monkeypox cases diagnosed in the Netherlands so far; First child tests positive
  • Fed-up Schiphol passengers march up baggage claim belt to grab luggage

Top stories

  • Delayed care in Covid cost at least 320,000 years of life: RIVM
  • Farmers' protests: Some 15 arrested at distribution blockades, 200 fined on highways
  • Over 350 monkeypox cases diagnosed in the Netherlands so far; First child tests positive
  • Police arrest new suspect for directing murder of journalist Peter R. de Vries
  • Over 1.6 million people experienced discrimination last year
  • NS running fewer trains this week due to staff shortages

© 2012-2022, NL Times, All rights reserved.

Footer menu

  • Privacy
  • Contact
  • Partner content