After a long manhunt for the Netherlands’ ‘most wanted’ fugitive, Moroccan-born, Ridouan Taghi, was brought to justice for masterminding a complex drug trafficking operation whilst killing many opponents.
The six-month trial reached a dramatic climax securing the convictions of 17 gang members, who committed six murders and attempted four more.
Dubbed an “oiled killing machine”, Taghi was considered the ringleader of the criminal organisation, ordering the killings. He was eventually apprehended whilst attempting to pass through Dubai’s controlled border using a fraudulent passport. Taghi will serve a lifetime sentence after being convicted of all 6 murders, which the Irish Times reported on 27/2. The judge delivered the damning, and long-awaited verdict in front of a packed courtroom under high security.
The legal battle to bring Taghi to justice dragged on for 6 years until his extradition in 2019. The saga has been one of the largest criminal manhunts in Dutch history.
