Alleged Drug Kingpin ’Dikke Nordin’ to Face Trial in Belgium’s Major Arms and Drug Case

The man of Moroccan origin had been extradited from the United Arab Emirates to Belgium in March 2023, but this extradition did not cover the "Bombs and Grenades" case. A supplementary procedure was therefore necessary for Nordin El Hajjioui to be tried in this case.

On Wednesday, during a preliminary hearing, the public prosecutor announced that this procedure had been finalized. Nordin El Hajjioui’s lawyer expressed doubts about the validity of this statement, due to the lack of official documents. He requested that the case be entrusted to the narcotics chamber, which is already due to examine five other cases concerning his client on November 7. This request was rejected by the judges, who decided to deal with the case themselves on May 7.

In the "Bombs and Grenades" case, the court had already handed down sentences of up to twelve years in prison last November. Three defendants were acquitted and two others were granted a suspended sentence. A sum of more than 2.5 million euros, considered to be from the trafficking, was seized. The case will be examined on appeal next April.