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DRUGS

‘Record bust’ of hashish in southern Sweden

A 43-year-old man has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for organising the smuggling of close to half a ton of hashish, and over nine kilogrammes of amphetamine.

'Record bust' of hashish in southern Sweden

“This is big, really big for Swedish standards. Calling it a ‘record bust’ wouldn’t be wrong,” said Lars Hansson, narcotics expert at the Swedish Customs Service (Tullverket), to news agency TT.

The largest amount of hashish seized in Sweden to date was made at Öresund Bridge, between Sweden and Denmark, in September 2009, when a truck bearing 500 kilogrammes of the drug was stopped.

The two separate confiscations the 43 year-old has now been convicted of, 87.5 kilos and 392.5 kilos, are in the same ballpark.

Lars Hansson explains that the uncommonly large amount of hashish, as well as the fact that the 43 year-old is considered to be the brain behind the smuggling ring, is most likely what resulted in the law’s strictest punishment.

“If it’s established that organised crime is behind the smuggling, consequences are usually more severe.”

The man is convicted of aggravated drug offenses, and aggravated drug smuggling, and will also be deported from Sweden for life.

The value of the drugs is estimated to more than 30 million kronor ($4.7 million) on the street. Two couriers have previously been sentenced to ten and eight years in prison, respectively, for the smuggling.

Malmö district court, in southern Sweden, wrote on Thursday that the 43 year-old has taken part in “two runs of vast quantities of drugs”. According to the court, he’s been the facilitator at the heart of the operation, coordinating contacts with couriers, and given them instructions during transport.

The penal value of each of the smuggling crimes is ten years in prison. The severity of the crimes as well as the man’s apparent leading role made the court sentence him to the longest possible prison time, 14 years.

Since he lacks ties to Sweden, and cannot be considered to suffer in his home country if deported, the decision to deport him does not shorten his time in prison.

After having served his sentence he will be forbidden from ever returning to Sweden.

2011 has been a busy year for Swedish customs officials. Nearly twice the amount of drugs has been confiscated during the first six months of the year, compared with the same periods in 2010 and 2009.

1,781 confiscations, mainly of cannabis and narcotics-classed medicines, have been made between January and June, according to news agency TT.

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DRUGS

Germany should make cannabis available at pharmacies not ‘coffee shops’, says FDP boss

Germany's possible new government could well relax the country's strict cannabis laws. But FDP leader Christian Lindner says he doesn't want to go down the Netherlands route.

A demonstrator smokes a joint at the pro-cannabis Hanfparade in Berlin in August 2021.
A demonstrator smokes a joint at the pro-cannabis Hanfparade in Berlin in August 2021. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Annette Riedl

The Social Democrats (SPD), Greens and the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) are set to engage in coalition talks in a bid to become the next German government.  And the future of cannabis will likely be one of the topics to be thrashed out.

In drug policy, the three parties are not too far apart in their positions. So it’s possible that the drug could be decriminalised.

However, nothing is set in stone and the parties still haven’t come to a common line on the question of where and to what extent cannabis could be accessed. 

The leader of the Liberal FDP, Christian Lindner, has now come out in favour of allowing cannabis products such as hashish to be sold in a controlled manner. 

Consumers should be allowed “to purchase a quantity for their own use, for example, in a pharmacy after health education,” Lindner told a live broadcast on German daily Bild on Sunday.

Lindner said he was sceptical about the sale in “coffee shops” according to the Dutch model. “I am in favour of controlled distribution, and therefore health education must be able to take place,” he said.

READ MORE: Patients in Germany still face hurdles accessing medical marijuana

People in the Netherlands can access cannabis products in coffee shops under the country’s tolerant drugs policy. However coffee shops have to follow certain strict conditions. For instance they are not allowed to sell large quantities to an individual. 

Lindner said his main aims were about “crime and health prevention” and not with “legalising a right to intoxication”.

It’s not clear if Lindner advocates for prescription-only cannabis for medical use, or an over-the-counter model. 

The FDP previously said that they they are in favour of the creation of licensed shops. Their manifesto highlights the health benefits, tax windfalls and reallocation of police resources that legalisation would create.

The Green party also want licensed shops, as well as a whole new approach to drug control starting with the controlled legalisation of marijuana. The Greens state that “strict youth and user protection” would be the centre point of their legislation and hope to “pull the rug from under the black market”.

The SPD also want a reform of Germany’s prohibition stance – but are more cautious than the smaller parties on the legalisation aspect. They would like to initially set up pilot projects. 

READ ALSO: Why Germany could be on the brink of legalising cannabis

Controversial topic

So far, the sale of cannabis is officially banned in Germany. Possession of cannabis is also currently illegal across the entire country. Those caught carrying the substance can face anything from a fine to five years in jail.

However, the justice system generally looks away if you are caught carry small quantities for personal use unless you have a previous conviction.

The definition of personal use differs from state to state, with Berlin having the most liberal rules and Bavaria the tightest.

It is estimated that around four million people regularly use cannabis in Germany.

Representatives of police unions in Germany have warned against legalisation. They argue that cannabis is an often trivialised drug that can lead to considerable health problems and social conflicts, especially among young people.

Oliver Malchow, from the GdP police union, said that “it doesn’t make any sense to legalise another dangerous drug on top of alcohol”.

The current Ministry of Health also continues to oppose the legalisation of cannabis, a spokesperson for Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) made clear. Cannabis is a dangerous substance and therefore legalisation is not advisable, the spokesman said. 

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