PRESOV, June 13, (WEBNOVINY) — In the trial of three men accused of a particularly serious offense of illegal production, possession, and trading with narcotics, or, more specifically – of smuggling heroin from Turkey to Slovakia hidden in imported beach slippers, the Presov District Court announced three sentences on Monday. The alleged head of the group, Baki Sadiki, was sentenced in absentia to 22 years in a maximal security prison. Sadiki is on the run, presumably hiding in Kosovo. His accomplices, Juraj J. and Jan C., who both plead guilty, were sentenced each to 15 years in a medium security prison, as they cooperated with the police. Sadiki’s and Juraj J.‘s lawyers both filed appeals against the sentence, the third accused has not made his decision yet.
The trial launched on January 24, 2011. Sadiki is tried in absentia; the public knows him for being a friend of the former Justice Minister and President of the Supreme Court Stefan Harabin, although Harabin later denied this fact. Baki Sadiki’s attorney said that he and his client do not agree with the charges and propose examining evidence. According to the prosecution, the three were members of an organized group, which in 2007 and 2008 trafficked at least 120 kilograms of heroin from Turkey to Slovakia and then distributed it further. This was enough for producing over 336,000 doses worth some 3,350,000 euro.
SITA