Overview
- Judges found the defendant arranged for an Antwerp terminal employee to insert a malware-loaded USB, creating a backdoor that persisted from September 2020 into 2021 and exposed container, gate, and access-control systems.
- Investigators cited Sky ECC messages that documented the break‑in, privilege‑escalation attempts, and plans to delete logs, and the court rejected defense claims that the chats were improperly obtained.
- The compromised access supported the importation of 210 kilograms of cocaine, including the use of forged paperwork and Portbase entries to move a truck in and out of the terminal.
- A separate accusation tied to a 5,000‑kilogram cocaine import was dismissed for insufficient evidence, but convictions for hacking, forgery, and attempted extortion were maintained.
- The sentence was reduced from 10 to seven years due to appeal delays, the court ordered seizure of hacking tools and payment of cleanup and legal costs, and the defendant remains in custody after filing another appeal.