Crime boss sentenced to 12 years in prison for drugs and weapons offences
The Antwerp Criminal Court has sentenced criminal gang leader Nordin El Hajjioui in absentia to 12 years in prison and a fine of 96,000 euros for his involvement in a series of drug and weapons offences. Criminal assets worth 5 million euros were confiscated during the investigation.
The 37-year-old, nicknamed Dikke (Fat) Nordin, was the head of a criminal organisation with branches in Antwerp, Limburg and the Netherlands that was involved in large-scale cocaine imports via the port of Antwerp. The organisation also bought weapons to protect themselves from competitors and to carry out intimidation and revenge attacks if their activities were threatened.
There were 51 defendants in the case. El Hajjioui's case was separated from the others because he still had to be extradited from the United Arab Emirates, where he fled after a conviction in 2016. The court reached a verdict on his co-defendants in November 2024, handing out prison sentences of up to 12 years.
El Hajjioui's separate case was heard in May last year. He was not transferred from prison because he was ill and his lawyers did not appear, meaning the case was heard in absentia. The pronouncement of the sentence was postponed several times due to challenges by the defence and appeals against the rejected challenges.
On Tuesday, the man was sentenced in absentia to 12 years in prison. In principle, he can still lodge an appeal.
“He could argue that there was force majeure, for example due to illness,” said Luc De Cleir, spokesperson for the courts and tribunals in Antwerp and Limburg. “It is then up to the presiding judge to decide whether the appeal is admissible or not. If the appeal is declared admissible, the case will be reheard.”
#FlandersNewsService | Armed customs officers at the port of Antwerp, July 2025 © BELGA PHOTO JONAS ROOSENS
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