One of Britain’s most wanted men appears in court after extradition

Michael Moogan was arrested in Dubai after eight years on the run

Michael Paul Moogan was arrested in Dubai after eight years on the run. He is accused of conspiring to traffic cocaine. Photo: Dubai Police

An alleged drug trafficker who spent eight years on the run has appeared in a British court.

Michael Moogan, described as one of Britain's most wanted men, was accused of playing a role in an international cocaine smuggling plot.

The 36-year-old was arrested in Dubai in April 2021.

He was remanded into custody in the emirate while the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) submitted a request for his extradition.

“I particularly want to thank the Dubai Police and detectives from the General Department of Criminal Investigation in Dubai who used all the techniques at their disposal to assist us," said Miles Bonfield, deputy director of investigations at the UK's National Crime Agency.

Moogan, originally from Croxteth, Liverpool, was flown back to the UK on Monday and appeared at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday morning.

He is alleged to have gone on the run in October 2013 after a raid on cafe de Ketel, a front for meetings between drug traffickers and cartels and central to an alleged plot to bring hundreds of kilos of cocaine into the UK every week.

Moogan, accused of conspiring to traffic cocaine between March 31 and October 29, 2013, is next due to appear at Manchester Crown Court on August 9.

Patrick Moody, British Ambassador to the UAE, said: “The British Embassy is extremely grateful to the UAE judicial authorities for their assistance and cooperation to secure the extradition of Michael Moogan, and to Dubai Police for securing his arrest and for arranging his surrender to the UK authorities."