Four acquitted in drug case – undercover agents may have provoked the act
Four of the defendants in the so-called Sult (Hunger) case are acquitted of drug charges. The court believes that undercover agents carried out illegal provocation.
A total of ten persons were present on the prosecution bench in the comprehensive case. They responded to charges of importing 50 kilograms cannabis and hashish, in addition to 20 kgs MDMA.
Three Danish police infiltrated the environment of several of the defendants during the investigation of the case. Over the course of nearly one year, the Danes gained enough confidence to become part of the criminal operation. They did so – to such an extent – that it was central to the court if the police went too far in provoking criminal acts.
Three people have been convicted of contributing to the attempted import of cannabis/marijuana by motorhome in the recent Borgarting Court of Appeal judgment. Four other defendants are convicted for their participation in the actual import of 50 kilos of hashish/marijuana.
Provocation by the police
Two persons, accused of contributing to receiving the hashish were, however, acquitted due to illegal police provocation. The same applies to two persons charged with importing 20 kilos MDMA.
The court writes the following about one of those indicted for receiving the hashish;
“It cannot be disregarded that the defendant wouldn’t have committed this criminal offence if it weren’t for the police provocation. It has thus led to him committing a criminal act he would not otherwise have committed. In the view of the Court of Appeal, he must, therefore, be acquitted.”
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Comprehensive case
The so-called ‘mafia’ or ‘hunger’ case, as it has become known, also includes plans for a spectacular robbery at Oslo airport and the attempted murder of Imran Saber. The alleged main principal in the case complex, Nokas-convicted Metkel Betew, was not among the defendants this time around. He is legally convicted of the imported hashish but finally acquitted of the import of MDMA. This, because the Attorney General would not appeal the district court’s acquittal.
Betew was sentenced to five years and four months in prison when the Court of Appeal served the hashish sentence last winter. This happened in the appeal case, where he, together with Bandidos boss Lars Harnes, was acquitted of planning and attempting to kill Imran Saber.
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© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today
