No evidence so far

Barbershop owners allegedly sold drugs

The two brothers are being held in pretrial detention behind the walls of the Wels Juvenile Detention Center.(Bild: Pressefoto Scharinger/Daniel Scharinger)

After a witness made serious allegations against two brothers of Syrian descent, the pair was arrested with the help of the Cobra unit. There were reports of kilograms of drugs and an assault rifle. However, searches turned up nothing of the sort. The investigation is ongoing, and the suspects are in pretrial detention.

“Raid!” was the call last June in Wels. At that time, a squad from the Cobra special police unit stormed a barbershop and arrested the owners, two brothers of Syrian descent (ages 23 and 25). This was preceded by the interrogation of a drug user.

Drugs and an assault rifle
“The two suspects face credible allegations based on witness testimony. They are alleged to have sold cocaine, cannabis, and ecstasy in quantities measured in kilograms, and to have possessed two handguns and an AK-47 along with ammunition,” explains Christoph Weber, spokesperson for the Wels District Attorney’s Office, regarding the strong suspicion of criminal activity.

Police Found Nothing
Attorney Michael Lanzinger, who represents one of the two suspects, sees things quite differently: “All of this is based on a witness’s assumptions. There is still no concrete evidence against my client.” And indeed: During searches of the business premises and several apartments, neither drugs nor weapons—with the exception of a knuckle duster—were found.

The serious allegations are based entirely on a witness’s assumptions. There is still no concrete evidence whatsoever.

Verteidiger Michael Lanzinger

The investigation is still ongoing
But that could still change, because: The investigation is still ongoing. “A large number of witnesses are being interviewed, and customers and suppliers are being investigated. In addition, bank accounts, cell phones, and data storage devices must be analyzed,” the prosecutor explains. It is still unclear when the investigation will be completed and when charges will be filed. In the meantime, the two Syrians are being held in pretrial detention in Wels.

Both have prior convictions
“Of course, we’ll have to see what else comes to light. Although the case file is very extensive, there is no solid evidence in sight,” says defense attorney Lanzinger. Incidentally, the two men, who deny the allegations in their entirety, are not exactly clean slates: The older brother has been convicted twice for making dangerous threats and once for assault; the younger brother has been convicted once for giving false testimony and a second time for aggravated coercion and assault. The presumption of innocence applies.