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Denmark jails seven in Christiania drug case

Seven men were found guilty and sentenced to a total of 32.5 years in prison while more than 70 others await their day in court.

Published: 6 January 2015 15:22 CET

Denmark jails seven in Christiania drug case

The court case is one of several to come out of a March 2014 at Christiania. Photo: Mbtrama/Flickr

Seven guilty verdicts were handed down on Tuesday in one of Denmark’s largest ever drug cases.

The Copenhagen City Court sentenced seven men to a combined total of 32.5 years in prison for their roles in delivering drugs to Copenhagen’s notorious Christiania neighbourhood, a former hippie commune that is now the centre of a billion kroner cannabis industry.

The trial is the result of a raid on Christiania in March 2014 that led to a total of 80 arrests – the largest bust in the 43-year history of the self-proclaimed 'freetown'. According to TV2 News, it is by all accounts the largest cannabis-related police action in Danish history.

45-year-old Jesper Ole Jensen was sentenced to seven years in prison on charges that he was the mastermind behind brining nearly two tonnes of cannabis into Christiania. Jensen immediately appealed against the decision.

The prosecutor in the case said that Jensen took over as the main actor behind the drug operation after Hells Angels boss Michael Brokside committed suicide in jail after his arrest in the same case.

Six other men were given sentences ranging from 2.5 to six years in prison. Three of the men – 50-year-old Said Ayan, 37-year-old Henrik Friese Schou and 41year-old Robert Georgievski – accepted the court’s decision. In addition to Jensen, two others – Niels Rasmussen, 43, and Johnny Mikkelsen, 41, – appealed against their decision while another, 41-year-old Allan Theil Jensen, did not make an immediate decision regarding an appeal.

Some 70 other people connected to the March bust in Christiania are still jailed and awaiting their day in court. According to broadcaster DR, the next trial will take place at the end of the month, while others will get underway in the spring.

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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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