Drug wholesaling

Heavy prison sentences for three young drug dealers

(Bild: Wassermann Kerstin)

On Thursday, three young men had to answer for large-scale drug trafficking before a panel of lay judges at the Linz Regional Court. The trio is said to have circulated considerable quantities of drugs in the greater Linz area for three years. The sentences, which are not yet final, were correspondingly high.

The public prosecutor's office accused the three defendants (26, 24 and 25 years old) of importing herbal cannabis, cocaine, heroin and speed to Austria on a large scale and placing them on the illegal market. They were charged with drug trafficking and illicit handling of narcotics. The maximum penalty for this is up to 15 years in prison.

Smuggling vehicle
The men allegedly smuggled drugs into Austria between May 2021 and May 2024 using a specially built smuggling vehicle. In Leonding and other locations in the greater Linz area, they allegedly sold the narcotics to bulk buyers, sub-distributors and also end customers. They were charged with trafficking almost 400 kilos of herbal cannabis, 30 kilos of cocaine, five kilos of heroin, 13 kilos of speed and 2.3 kilos of cannabis sweets. 

Suitcase full of narcotics (symbolic image)(Bild: zVg)

Three guilty verdicts
The jury found the three defendants guilty. The sentences: seven years' unconditional imprisonment for the 26-year-old, seven years' unconditional plus nine months' conditional imprisonment for the 24-year-old and four years' unconditional plus nine months' conditional imprisonment for the 25-year-old. The sentences are not yet legally binding. The public prosecutor's office and the defense have requested time for reflection.