Morocco seeks extradition of narco-boat pilot accused of killing two Guardia Civil officers

Moroccan officials have formally requested that Spain extradite Karim El Baqqali, the pilot of a high-speed narco-lancha that collided with a Guardia Civil patrol boat in the port of Barbate, resulting in the deaths of agents Miguel Ángel González and David Pérez. El Baqqali, who is being held in pre-trial detention, is charged in Spain with two counts of murder, four counts of attempted murder, aggravated assault on law-enforcement officers and property damage.

After escaping to Morocco and remaining at large for several months, he returned to Spain in September and was transferred from El Puerto de Santa María to a prison in Valdemoro. The Audiencia Nacional will decide whether to approve the extradition, which comes after an Interpol red notice was issued for his involvement in drug trafficking. The case has drawn criticism from the Asociación Unificada de Guardias Civiles over the disparity in force between the patrol boat and the larger, faster narco-lancha.