Drug trafficking: relatively lenient sentences for three defendants
Their first court hearing, under the summary procedure, took place a month and a half ago (see our edition of 22 September). They each faced a sentence of up to ten years’ imprisonment
A brief recap of the facts: it was whilst carrying out a routine roadside check in Saint-Barthélemy that the gendarmes arrested three men involved in drug trafficking. Among them was a notorious drug addict with a long criminal record, a man who immediately expressed regret at having allowed himself to be drawn into the affair, and a third, younger man who appeared to be less involved. In any case, all three appeared in court charged with the unauthorised transport, acquisition, possession, offering or supply, and use of drugs.
Drug trafficking that kills
After being held in pre-trial detention in Guadeloupe, they were back before the judge in Saint Martin last Friday, and it was only after a particularly long hearing (11.30 am – 5.30 pm) that they finally learnt their fate. New evidence came to light, and people began to speak out, to such an extent that the man thought to be the gang leader turned out to be much more fragile than he appeared (an impression no doubt due to his precarious state of health following his forced withdrawal).
Certain details in the case file made it clear that the second defendant was not as innocent as he seemed, as he was putting the other two up in return for exorbitant rent, whilst taking advantage of the first defendant’s address book to run his own little drug-dealing business to private individuals. As for the third defendant, he went along with it, supplementing his income using the same method.
‘They made a fortune’
This was the statement made by the man from whom the other two had profited, who also revealed that whilst they were indeed users and dealers, this small-scale trafficking was nothing like a major international organised crime operation. The defence lawyers tried in vain to prove the case was invalid due to certain irregularities during police custody, and regarding details of the search that had led to the discovery of illicit substances and cash. Similarly, the defence questioned the validity of the tests carried out on the seized substances.
But to no avail; the Public Prosecutor’s Office rejected all these arguments outright, insisting that this was a case of drug trafficking that kills. The Public Prosecutor ultimately sought prison sentences of between two and four years – significantly less than the maximum sentence that had been feared. After lengthy deliberation, the court delivered its verdict: two of the three defendants were sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment, 12 of which were suspended (with one of the two required to undergo treatment), and the third was sentenced to 18 months, six of which were suspended. As is customary, they have ten days to appeal against the judgement.
