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DRUGS

Norwegian ex-cop sentenced to 21 years for drug smuggling

Oslo District Court sentenced on Tuesday former policeman Eirik Jensen to 21 years in prison for gross corruption and conspiracy to smuggle hashish.

Norwegian ex-cop sentenced to 21 years for drug smuggling
Gjermund Cappelen (L) and Eirik Jensen (R) leave Oslo District Court after being sentenced to 15 and 21 years respectively for corruption and drug smuggling offences. Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB scanpix

Drug trafficker Gejmund Capelen was sentenced to 15 years’s imprisonment for drug smuggling and corruption, reports broadcaster NRK.

The court gave Jensen the longest possible sentence, saying that there were no mitigating circumstances, according to the report.

Additionally, Jensen was employed in several leading police roles during the period in which he committed the crimes, according to the judgement issued by the court.

“Jensen’s actions are seriously damaging to the public confidence on which the police and rule of law depends,” Oslo District Court presiding judge Kim Heger said according to NRK.

Heger added that that case was without precedent in Norwegian legal history.

Norway regularly tops international rankings as one of the world’s least corrupt countries.

“Corruption undermines confidence in the legal apparatus and important principles on which society is built,” Heger said.

667,800 kroner (89,700 euros) as well as weapons gained through corrupt activities will also be confiscated from Jensen, according to the report.

Both Jensen and Cappelen will consider appealing the court decision. Appeals must be made within 14 days of sentencing.

Cappelen, whose sentence was reduced by 30 percent, was given 15 years in prison, also for corruption and smuggling of marijuana.

The drug smuggler’s sentenced was reduced due to his cooperation in providing information that led to the conviction of Jensen.

“Cappelen’s testimony was crucial in resolving this very serious case. Nevertheless, the court finds Cappelen to have acted cynically and systematically and his drug smuggling operation is without equal in Norway’s history,” said judge Sven Olav Solberg according to NRK.

A former head of fighting organised crime, Jensen was initially arrested in 2014 on suspicion of corruption and being connected to Cappelen’s drug ring, months after Cappelen himself was taken in by police on December 19th 2013 on suspicion of drugs-related offences.

Jensen allegedly received 2.44 million kroner (over 262,000 euros) in bribes, in exchange for helping Cappelen smuggle 13,9 tonnes of hashish into Norway between 2004 and 2013, prosecutor Guro Glærum Kleppe said in May this year.

Oslo District Court on Monday found Cappelen guilty of importing 16.8 tonnes of the drug between 1993 and 2013.

Jensen failed to convince the court that a series of SMS messages presented in evidence were not related to drug smuggling, according to NRK’s report.

“The court finds that the SMS messages clearly relate to the import of hashish. The network communicates in simple codes, Jensen gives Cappelen reassuring messages. The court finds it clear that messages about sunshine communicate that Cappelen is not in the sights of police and can safely import his cargo,” Heger said in court.

The judges added that they did not believe Jensen’s claims that he was not aware that Cappelen was importing hashish.

“It has been shown beyond reasonable doubt that Jensen, during the period in question, was well aware of Cappelen’s import,” Heger read to the court. 

READ ALSO: Sweden-Norway beer smuggling hits record levels

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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