News release | 24-12-2025 | 18:30
A 41-year-old Eritrean who was imprisoned in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been extradited to the Netherlands. The Public Prosecution Service (OM) intends to prosecute him for atrocities against migrants traveling from Libya to Europe. The Eritrean is suspected, among other things, of participating in a criminal organization involved in human trafficking, kidnapping, extortion, and violence including sexual violence. On Christmas Eve, he landed at Schiphol Airport, escorted by the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (KMar).
The suspect had been internationally wanted since 2021, when he escaped in Ethiopia during a trial against him. The Netherlands placed him on the National Wanted List. On January 1, 2023, he was arrested in Sudan in an international police operation led by the UAE. They had tracked him down during a money laundering investigation. In that investigation, he was later convicted in the UAE. Because the suspect has now served his sentence there, he could be extradited. The Netherlands is grateful to the UAE authorities for the excellent cooperation in this investigation concerning the fight against global human trafficking and money laundering.
Second main suspect in major criminal case
Another alleged ringleader of the criminal organization was already tried last month in Zwolle. Against this 42-year-old suspect, also from Eritrea, the OM demanded twenty years in prison on November 19. The verdict is scheduled for January 27, 2026. The lawyers of this 42-year-old suspect want to hear the man who is now being extradited as a witness in their clients case. This hearing may take place soon. The newly extradited suspect will also have his own legal process. To start, he will be presented to the examining magistrate on Saturday, December 27, 2025.
Direct link with the Netherlands
According to the OM, both suspects worked together and earned large sums of money by abusing and extorting mainly Eritrean migrants. The abuse took place in Libya, the extortion of family members in the Netherlands. Only when they paid did the abuse stop and could the family member travel on to Europe. The criminal organizations business model thus directly links the Netherlands to the systematic abuses in the Libyan camps, argued the public prosecutor in the earlier trial. After all; no trafficking without payments, no payments without extortion, no extortion without the use of violence.
Other suspects
In the criminal investigation, in addition to the two main suspects, five suspects in the Netherlands have also been summoned who are believed to be involved in collecting and funneling money to the criminal organization. In April 2026, they will have to answer to the court in Overijssel in Zwolle. The investigation is carried out by the KMar under the leadership of the OMs National Office. It focuses on the period between 2014 and 2020. Cooperation is taking place with Italy, the International Criminal Court ICC, Europol, and Interpol.