A man believed to have close links to a Saudi prince who was arrested last week in France in the framework of a crackdown on an extensive cocaine smuggling network has been remanded into custody pending investigation, court officials said on Monday.
Mustapha Jaoudi was placed under judicial investigation on Sunday, however officials declined to reveal on what charges.
Jaoudi was arrested on Wednesday in a hide-out in the southeastern French Alpine region of Haute Savoie, and has been identified by Le Parisien as a close associate to Prince Nayef Bin Sultan Bin Fawwaz Al-Shaalan, named as a son-in-law of Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah.
According to the daily, the alleged smuggling and money-laundering network first came to light in 1999, when French anti-drug police raided a house in Noisy-le-Sec and discovered more than 800 kilograms of cocaine. It added those drugs were part of a delivery of two tons of cocaine brought into France in the prince's private jet.
The French sources said the investigation was being treated as "very sensitive", on account of Jaoudi's alleged links to the Saudi royal family. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
