Daily Northern

Nordic News, Every Day

Menu

Danish man gets 10-year sentence for smuggling over 20 tonnes of doping substances and drugs

Tuesday 9th 2024 on 16:40 in  
Denmark

Jacob Nordbeck Hansen, 40, was sentenced to ten years in prison by the Kolding Court today for smuggling 20.5 tonnes of doping substances, narcotics, and pharmaceuticals into Denmark and for running an extensive, organised trade with these substances. The court also believes that there is evidence to suggest that Hansen acted as a middleman in a larger international doping business.

Hansen was surprised by the ten-year sentence, according to his defence lawyer Mads Kruse. “He expected a punishment that was lower. So he was a bit surprised that it was ten years,” Kruse said after the verdict.

In the earlier stages of the trial, Kruse had argued that a suitable penalty for Hansen would be seven to eight years in prison. He now believes that a ten-year sentence is too severe. “The provision concerning doping substances has a penalty frame of up to six years in prison. It is clear that if there are particularly aggravating circumstances, the penalty can of course increase. But we think that an increase to ten years in prison is a bit steep,” said Kruse.

In addition to Hansen, four other men were also convicted in the case. They were found guilty of being involved in his doping business in various ways. They received different sentences, ranging from four months to three years in prison, depending on the extent of their involvement.

Prosecutor Malou Engel, who represented the South and South Jutland Police in the case, is satisfied with the court’s decision. “It sends a signal that this type of crime is not something we as a society will accept. And it says something about the seriousness, that it’s not just a hobby activity, and that it’s not something one should do for fun. So I hope it can be a deterrent for someone who might consider dealing with doping crime,” she said.

The seizure of the large quantities of doping was featured in the documentary series “Doping Dream Bodies”, which can be seen on DR TV.