A hacker linked to a Dutch port has been sentenced to prison for his role in deploying remote access malware to facilitate drug smuggling. Arrested in 2021, he was convicted in 2022, but attempted to appeal the sentence based on the use of evidence obtained from EncroChat, an encrypted messaging service. The Amsterdam Court of Appeal rejected his defense, affirming the legality of the evidence. The hacker worked with accomplices to insert malware via a USB stick, aided by an insider from the port logistics company. This intrusion allowed them access to sensitive port systems, resulting in the smuggling of 210 kilograms of cocaine concealed in a wine shipment. Court documents indicated that the malware operations took place between September 2020 and April 2021, impacting major ports including Rotterdam and Antwerp. The defendant had a history of computer-related crimes and had also attempted to resell malware and extort victims.