Not legally binding

Long prison sentences for young drug dealers

Five young defendants aged between 20 and 23 are alleged to have been importing drugs from Spain on a large scale for around six years and putting them into circulation in Germany. All of them received multi-year prison sentences on Tuesday, and numerous items and large amounts of money were confiscated. The sentences are not yet final.

Five suspects, four Austrian and one German national, including a young woman, had to answer to the lay judges at the Linz Regional Court today, Tuesday. The quantities charged were not small: 86 kilos of cannabis, 5.6 kilos of amphetamine and 4.1 kilos of coke were allegedly imported from Spain by the first defendant (22) with the help of his co-defendants.

Mail as drug courier
Most of the drugs were allegedly not transported by couriers, but by post. Middlemen were only responsible for the transportation of smaller quantities. As part of a criminal organization, drugs are said to have been rented in specially rented warehouses in Urfahr and Leonding. The drugs were mainly resold via the Darknet. 

She chauffeured him in a BMW
The 22-year-old first defendant and the second defendant (20), both school dropouts and a couple for several years, were remorseful in court and affirmed that they wanted to lead a new and normal life from now on. Several weapons were also found on the young woman - but she could not answer why she had them.

Not just drugs
In addition to the drug offenses, a number of other offenses were also charged: Fraud, aggravated coercion, assault and breaches of the Weapons Act and even weapons trafficking were charged against the first defendant. 

More than 22 years in total
It is therefore hardly surprising that the first defendant (22) received the longest sentence: six and a half years unconditional imprisonment. His girlfriend (20), who moved almost as many drugs as her boyfriend and also chauffeured him to deals in a BMW X4, was sentenced to four and a half years. The same applies to the third defendant, the oldest of the gang at 23. The fourth defendant (22) must serve three years behind bars, the fifth defendant (21) four years. 

Not legally binding
None of the sentences are final: although the first, fourth and fifth defendants have accepted their sentences, the public prosecutor has given herself three days to think about it. A sixth member of the core group has already been sentenced, and further hearings from the core group will take place in the coming weeks.