Antwerp Correctional Court has sentenced Nordin E.H. (37) to twelve years in prison and a €96,000 fine for his role in the "Bombs and Grenades" case.
The case revolves around extensive drug and weapons offences for the major drug kingpin who goes by the nickname 'Dikke'. The court also confiscated criminal assets worth €5 million.
Nordin E.H. was the head of a criminal organisation with branches in Antwerp, Limburg and the Netherlands, which was involved in large-scale cocaine imports via the port of Antwerp.
They also acquired weapons to protect themselves against competitors and to carry out intimidation and revenge attacks if their activities were threatened.
There were 51 defendants in the case. Nordin E.H.'s case was separated because he still had to be extradited from the United Arab Emirates for this case, after having fled to Dubai in 2016.
The court had already handed down a verdict on his co-defendants in November 2024. Prison sentences of up to twelve years were imposed at that time.
In May 2025, Nordin E.H.'s separate case was heard. He was not transferred from prison because he was ill and his lawyers did not appear. The case was therefore 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, Nordin E.H. finally received his sentence. He was sentenced in absentia to twelve years in prison. In principle, Nordin E.H. can still lodge an appeal.
"He could argue that there was force majeure, for example due to illness. 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," explains Luc De Cleir, spokesperson for the courts and tribunals in Antwerp and Limburg.
