Overview

• Ridouan Taghi, once the Netherlands' most-wanted fugitive, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for leading a notorious drug cartel involved in a series of murders.
• The trial, known as the Marengo trial, concluded after nearly six years, marking one of the largest in Dutch criminal history.
• Taghi and 16 accomplices were convicted of six murders, with three receiving life sentences and the rest varying terms.
• The trial exposed the violent underbelly of the Netherlands' drug trade, leading to calls for a reevaluation of drug policies.
• Taghi's conviction is seen as a significant victory for Dutch law enforcement, but experts warn that it may not significantly disrupt the drug trade.