Westminster Magistrates Court in London said on Tuesday that the suspect identified as Łukasz R. (surname withheld due to Poland’s privacy laws) but who was also known as ‘Rataj’ would be returned to his hometown of Łódź in central Poland which he fled in 2004.
Prosecutors in the city accuse him of being involved in a number of serious crimes, including the attempted murder of a gangster.
After escaping to the UK, Rataj initially worked in construction before launching Bimber Distillery, producing whiskey that earned him not just remarkable success but also the title of ‘Whisky King.’
The former gangster, operating under the alias Dariusz Płażewski, went on to become a millionaire, mingling in high society, participating in high-profile advertising campaigns, and granting interviews.
But his recent public activities drew the attention of the Łódź police, who had been searching for him for two decades.
In February 2024, English authorities apprehended him at his upscale London apartment.
Initially denying his identity and the charges against him, he ultimately confessed when presented with evidence from the Polish investigation.
Following his arrest, he was placed in an extradition detention center, where he made several attempts to secure his release, offering huge sums of money, but each time was denied due to fears he might flee again.
The extradition court in London has now ruled that Łukasz R. must return to Poland to face trial for his alleged crimes.
While the exact date of his return remains uncertain, it is thought that he will be brought back to Łódź later this year.
