Category: Legal Matters

AMSTERDAM — With shootings and threats against a princess and the prime minister it sounds like a crime drama, but for the Dutch the growing menace from drug cartels is all too real.

The top-security trial of one alleged cocaine cartel leader, Ridouan Taghi, has captivated the Netherlands in recent months and shone a light on the shadowy “Mocro Maffia.”

The busting of a Dubai-based “super cartel” linked to Taghi, which used the Dutch port of Rotterdam as a hub, has further reinforced fears the liberal country could become a so-called narco-state.

Despite being behind bars in an ultra-secure prison, Taghi has been accused of pulling the strings of what prosecutors call his “killing machine” with secret messages to henchmen outside.

Commentators say the “Marengo” trial, named after a judicial codeword for the operation that saw Taghi charged with 16 others, is unprecedented for the Netherlands.

“The consequence of the Marengo trial, and the violence that was committed afterwards, that has simply caused a huge shock,” Jan Meeus, a Dutch journalist specializing in criminal matters, told AFP.

Speaking after a recent hearing, he described it as “the ultimate test of the Dutch judicial system of the rule of law.”

Extreme violence

Three people linked to a key prosecution witness in the trial, Nabil B., have already been killed in scenes that shocked the Netherlands.

His brother was murdered in 2018, his lawyer Derk Wiersum was shot dead outside his house in 2019, and the prominent Dutch crime journalist Peter R. de Vries was killed in 2021.

Shot dead in broad daylight in central Amsterdam as he left a television studio, de Vries had said he was on the hit list of Taghi, who was arrested in Dubai in 2019.

The army is guarding the “Bunker” in Amsterdam, where Taghi is on trial, in a first for the Netherlands. Judges and prosecutors arrive for hearings inside armored cars.

Plans to spring Taghi from prison using “extreme violence” were uncovered, said Meeus. Taghi’s cousin and one of his lawyers are accused of helping him communicate with the outside world.

“The democratic rule of law is shaken and under pressure from organized crime,” Wim de Bruin, a spokesperson for the national prosecutor’s office, told AFP.

The threat has touched top levels of Dutch society.

Crown Princess Amalia, the daughter of King Willem-Alexander, was recently forced to give up plans to live in student accommodations for security reasons.

Both the 19-year-old royal and Prime Minister Mark Rutte were mentioned in messages by organized crime groups, raising fears of plans to kidnap or attack them, Dutch media reported.

Dogs

Prosecutors say the gangsters have “no respect for human life,” with members calling their victims “dogs” who must “sleep.”

Nicknamed “Mocro Maffia” because many are of Moroccan descent, the gang is notorious for both the youth and the merciless violence of its members.

The violence has forced Dutch authorities to confront their own naivety about the level of organized crime in the country, a parallel economy worth several billion dollars.

The main Dutch police union, the NPB, has sounded the alarm for several years, with its president, Jan Struijs, warning some years ago it was slowly becoming a narco-state.

Struijs told AFP that the Netherlands’ lenient policy on soft drugs was to blame.

The consumption and sale of cannabis have been decriminalized in the country, but the rest of the supply chain that stocks famed Dutch “coffeeshops” remains illegal, with gangs muscling in on them.

Tax paradise

But Marijn Schrijver, co-author of the bestselling book Mocro Maffia said that while the Netherlands’ neighbors like to blame its lax soft drug policies, “that is not the reason.”

“What we are is a tax paradise. We want to import as much as possible into the ports to transport it again, and that makes the Netherlands the perfect place logistically,” Schrijver told AFP.

The recent dismantling in Dubai of the “super-cartel,” which allegedly provided about one third of Europe’s cocaine, indicates that the kingpins may be moving out of the Netherlands.

A Taghi-linked Dutch “big fish” arrested in the Gulf emirate had reportedly formed an alliance with the leaders of Irish and Italian drug gangs.

Europol spokesperson Jan Op Gen Oorth said the “fluid and creative” networks now collaborate and have their “kingpins sitting outside of the EU jurisdiction.”

“It’s not one group against the other anymore, which makes it extremely dangerous,” he told AFP.

Source: Voice of America

The Dubai Mounted Police has recently launched the seventh Equestrian Winter Camp, with the participation of 120 students from different nationalities.

The launching ceremony, launched yesterday (Monday, 19th of December), was attended by Major General Muhammad Issa Al Adhb, director of the Dubai Mounted Police Station, Major Dhahi Salem Al Jallaf, Deputy Director of Dubai Mounted Police Station and other officers and employees.

Maj. Gen. Al Adhb confirmed that the Annual Winter Camp enhances the Dubai police community and awareness objectives toward the youth and students whom the Force seeks to provide with knowledge and skills in a different field, including horseback riding and caring for the equines, raising their awareness lectures on drug addiction and misuse of social media platforms, shooting, conducting field visits and finally entertaining them with K9 shows.

Maj. Gen. Al Adhb stressed that the annual activities and camps carried out throughout the year achieve the Dubai Police strategy to ensure community happiness and strengthen the relationship between the police and members of the public. He noted that several specialists and experts train the student participants (between 7-17 years old) in the fields. They are introduced to the latest techniques and methodologies for maintaining, taking care of, and giving first aid to the equines. The students will also be toured around the Station facilities to be more acquainted with the horses and their caregivers’ environments.

Source: Dubai Customs

ABU DHABI, President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan today met with a number of permanent representatives and deputy permanent representatives of United Nations member states.

In welcoming the delegates, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed stressed the UAE’s keenness to foster effective partnerships with nations around the world, based on trust, mutual respect and common goals. His Highness spoke of the UAE’s interest in exploring opportunities for cooperation that aim to enable sustainable development and growth for countries and communities everywhere.

His Highness also reaffirmed the UAE’s determination to support peace and stability in the region and the world, resolve conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy, address global challenges such as climate change and humanitarian crises, and combat extremism and terrorism.

During the meeting, His Highness and the delegates discussed the UAE’s development and ambitions, its longstanding efforts to empower women and youth, its openness to different cultures and people, and the country’s efforts to develop a strong, diversified and sustainable economy that will benefit future generations.

Members of the UN delegation expressed their happiness with the meeting and commended His Highness and the UAE for their efforts in supporting peaceful coexistence and humanitarian initiatives both regionally and globally.

In addition to meeting His Highness Sheikh Mohamed, the UN delegation’s itinerary included meetings with several UAE officials as well as visits to a number of cultural, political and community institutions in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The party was also due to tour important landmarks including the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and Louvre Abu Dhabi.

The meeting was attended by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Special Affairs Advisor at the Presidential Court; Ali bin Hammad Al Shamsi, Deputy Secretary-General of the Supreme National Security Council; Yousuf Mani Al Otaiba, UAE Ambassador to the United States; and Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, UAE Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

The UN delegation included Gilad Erdan, Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations; Amir Hayek, Ambassador of Israel to the UAE; Carlos C. Fuller, Permanent Representative of Belize to the United Nations; David Bakradze, Permanent Representative of Georgia to the United Nations; Antonio Rodrigue, Permanent Representative of Haiti to the United Nations; Cornel Feruta, Permanent Representative of Romania to the United Nations; Nemanja Stevanovic, Permanent Representative of Serbia to the United Nations; Fanday Turay, Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone to the United Nations; Boštjan Malovrh, Permanent Representative of Slovenia to the United Nations; Suriya Chindawongse, Permanent Representative of Thailand to the United Nations; Ambassador Robert A. Wood, Deputy Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations; and Eric S. Goldstein, CEO of UJA-Federation of New York.

Source: Emirates News Agency

UMM AL QAIWAIN, Sheikh Majid bin Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla Charitable and Humanitarian Establishment, attended the signing of an agreement between the establishment and the Dubai Islamic Bank to build 16 houses in Oud Al Tayer, Umm Al Qaiwain, worth AED10 million, which will be allocated to low-income citizen families.

Coinciding with the UAE’s 51st National Day, the agreement was signed by Rashid Hamad Al Hamar, Director-General of the Establishment, and Nawaf Al Raisi, Head of Community Support Services at the Dubai Islamic Bank, in the presence of Khalfan Ahmed Misfer and Mohammed Salem Al Malehi, members of the establishment’s board of trustees.

During the signing, Sheikh Majid stressed that the joint charity project between the establishment and the bank is part of their cooperation and mutual efforts to support low-income citizens.

The bank’s administration stressed that the agreement highlights its support for charitable projects in Umm Al Qaiwain and other emirates, noting that the establishment is a pioneer of charity and humanitarian work in the country.

Source: Emirates News Agency

Dubai Customs protects intellectual property rights through several programs and plans including the trademark registration service, which enables trademark owners to counteract counterfeit goods and prevent them, in cooperation with Dubai Customs, from entering the UAE through the border crossings in Dubai.

Trademark owners can register their trademarks through Dubai Customs website after these trademarks are registered with the Ministry of Economy.

Registration of trademarks is a strategic objective that aims to enhance security and fight illegitimate trade of counterfeit goods. It is part of Dubai Customs’ mission to provide investors with a secure and attractive environment for their businesses.

“We have registered 4,344 trademarks since the establishment of the IPR Department in 2005,” said Yousef Ozair Mubarak, Director of IPR Department. “In 2021 we registered 437 trademarks and in 2022 we have registered 231 trademarks so far. Registration of these trademarks helps curb any attempts to enter these counterfeit goods into the country. We cooperate with trademark owners to educate our customs inspectors of different methods of faking these goods through workshops presented by the trademark owners. This enables Dubai Customs to protect society from the hazards of counterfeit goods, and enhances the opportunities for traders and investors to make the highest ROI.”

Source: Dubai Customs

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, EGYPT — For the first time, the nations of the world decided to help pay for the damage an overheating world is inflicting on poor countries, but they finished marathon climate talks on Sunday without further addressing the root cause of those disasters — the burning of fossil fuels.

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres told delegates the agreement was progress, but not enough: “Our planet is still in the emergency room. We need to drastically reduce emissions now — and this is an issue this COP did not address.

Gauterrres added, “A fund for loss and damage is essential — but it’s not an answer if the climate crisis washes a small island state off the map — or turns an entire African country to desert.”

He said, “The world still needs a giant leap on climate ambition.”

The deal, gaveled around dawn in this Egyptian Red Sea resort city, establishes a fund for what negotiators call loss and damage.

It is a big win for poorer nations which have long called for cash — sometimes viewed as reparations — because they are often the victims of climate-worsened floods, droughts, heat waves, famines and storms despite having contributed little to the pollution that heats up the globe.

It is also long been called an issue of equity for nations hit by weather extremes and small island states that face an existential threat from rising seas.

“Three long decades and we have finally delivered climate justice,” said Seve Paeniu, the finance minister of Tuvalu. “We have finally responded to the call of hundreds of millions of people across the world to help them address loss and damage.”

Pakistan’s environment minister, Sherry Rehman, said the establishment of the fund “is not about dispensing charity.”

“It is clearly a down payment on the longer investment in our joint futures,” she said, speaking for a coalition of the world’s poorest nations.

Antigua and Barbuda’s Molwyn Joseph, who chairs the organization of small island states, described the agreement as a “win for our entire world.”

“We have shown those who have felt neglected that we hear you, we see you, and we are giving you the respect and care you deserve,” he said.

The deal followed a game of climate change chicken over fossil fuels.

Early Sunday morning, delegates approved the compensation fund but had not dealt with the contentious issues of an overall temperature goal, emissions cutting and the desire to target all fossil fuels for phase down. Through the wee hours of the night, the European Union and other nations fought back what they considered backsliding in the Egyptian presidency’s overarching cover agreement and threatened to scuttle the rest of the process.

The package was revised again, removing most of the elements Europeans had objected to but added none of the heightened ambition they were hoping for.

“What we have in front of us is not enough of a step forward for people and planet,” a disappointed Frans Timmermans, executive vice president of the European Union, told his fellow negotiators. “It does not bring enough added efforts from major emitters to increase and accelerate their emissions cuts.

“We have all fallen short in actions to avoid and minimize loss and damage,” Timmermans said. “We should have done much more.”

Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock likewise voiced frustration.

“It is more than frustrating to see overdue steps on mitigation and the phase-out of fossil energies being stonewalled by a number of large emitters and oil producers,” she said.

The agreement includes a veiled reference to the benefits of natural gas as low emission energy, despite many nations calling for a phase down of natural gas, which does contribute to climate change.

While the new agreement doesn’t ratchet up calls for reducing emissions, it does retain language to keep alive the global goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit). The Egyptian presidency kept offering proposals that harkened back to 2015 Paris language which also mentioned a looser goal of 2 degrees. The world has already warmed 1.1 degrees (2 degrees Fahrenheit) since pre-industrial times.

Nor does the deal expand on last year’s call to phase down global use of “unabated coal” even though India and other countries pushed to include oil and natural gas in language from Glasgow. That too was the subject of last minute debate, especially upsetting Europeans.

Last year’s climate talks president chided the summit leadership for knocking down his efforts to do more to cut emissions with a forceful listing of what was not done.

“We joined with many parties to propose a number of measures that would have contributed to this emissions peaking before 2025, as the science tells us is necessary. Not in this text,” the United Kingdom’s Alok Sharma said emphasizing the last part. “Clear follow through on the phase down of coal. Not in this text. A clear commitment to phase out all fossil fuels. Not in this text. And the energy text weakened in the final minutes.”

And in his remarks to negotiators, U.N. climate chief Simon Stiell, who hails from Grenada, called on the world “to move away from fossil fuels, including coal oil and gas.”

However, that fight was overshadowed by the historic compensation fund.

“Quite a few positives to celebrate amidst the gloom and doom” of not cutting emissions fast enough to limit warming to 1.5 degrees, said climate scientist Maarten van Aalst of the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Center, which responds to climate disasters.

It’s a reflection of what can be done when the poorest nations remain unified, said Alex Scott, a climate diplomacy expert at the think tank E3G.

“I think this is huge to have governments coming together to actually work out at least the first step of … how to deal with the issue of loss and damage,” Scott said. But like all climate financials, it is one thing to create a fund, it’s another to get money flowing in and out, she said. The developed world still has not kept its 2009 pledge to spend $100 billion a year in other climate aid — designed to help poor nations develop green energy and adapt to future warming.

Next year’s talks will also see further negotiations to work out details of the new loss and damage fund, as well as review the world’s efforts to meet the goals of the Paris accord, which scientists say are slipping out of reach.

According to the agreement, the fund would initially draw on contributions from developed countries and other private and public sources such as international financial institutions. While major emerging economies such as China wouldn’t automatically have to contribute, that option remains on the table. This is a key demand by the European Union and the United States, who argue that China and other large polluters currently classified as developing countries have the financial clout and responsibility to pay their way.

The fund would be largely aimed at the most vulnerable nations, though there would be room for middle-income countries that are severely battered by climate disasters to get aid.

Martin Kaiser, the head of Greenpeace Germany, described the agreement on a loss and damage as a “small plaster on a huge, gaping wound.”

“It’s a scandal that the Egyptian COP presidency gave petrostates such as Saudi Arabia space to torpedo effective climate protection,” he said.

Many climate campaigners are concerned that pushing for strong action to end fossil fuel use will be even harder at next year’s meeting, which will be hosted in Dubai, located in the oil-rich United Arab Emirates.

Source: Voice of America