Taoufiq Ramsis, a Dutch crime boss involved in an international money laundering network linked to drug trafficking across Latin America, Europe, and Oceania, is set to be extradited to the United States following his capture in the upscale El Poblado neighborhood of Medellín. The Colombian Supreme Court approved his extradition to face charges in the Eastern District of New York. Ramsis, who used cryptocurrency transactions to launder drug money, posed as an American and operated a lucrative wholesale food business as a front for his criminal activities.
His arrest came after the FBI traced him to Medellín, where he was not only hiding but also engaging in cryptocurrency deals and collaborating with Colombian drug trafficking organizations. This high-profile capture follows other significant arrests, including alias Romario, a Brazilian drug lord, and Osemah Elhassen, an Australian who managed encrypted communications for traffickers. Ramsis was identified as a key figure in distributing cocaine from South America to the U.S., Europe, and Australia, and coordinating large-scale international money laundering operations.
Between February and March 2023, he and his associates managed the sale of eight kilograms of cocaine in Panama, intended for the U.S., and orchestrated a $100,000 cash transfer from New York to Colombia via cryptocurrencies. Magistrate Gerardo Barbosa Castillo confirmed that all legal requirements for extradition were met, emphasizing the alignment with international cooperation agreements.