The Sixth Section of the Provincial Court of Las Palmas has suspended this Wednesday a trial against three defendants for whom the Prosecutor's Office was requesting sentences of up to seven and a half years in prison for a crime against public health for allegedly trafficking cocaine in Lanzarote.
The hearing, which started two hours late at the Arrecife courthouse, was suspended after one of the defendants, José Miguel T., attended without legal assistance. The defendant stated before the magistrates that he did not want to continue being defended by the person who had been his lawyer until now and that he wanted to change his defense. Thus, the Court has added that it will sanction the lawyer for not attending the hearing.
The defendant José Miguel T., when questioned by the Court, added that the day before the trial he decided that he did not want to continue with his lawyer. The Court has given him three days to now appoint a new lawyer, and if not, one will be assigned to him ex officio. In addition, this section of the Provincial Court, which must travel by plane from Gran Canaria to Lanzarote for the hearings, decided that the trial will resume on a new date yet to be determined at its headquarters in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
Alleged cocaine distribution
The events date back to between 2019 and 2021, when the organized crime team of the Civil Guard in the Canary Islands, in coordination with the organized crime and anti-drug teams of the Benemérita in Huelva and Madrid, detected that there was a group of people who allegedly introduced and distributed cocaine in Lanzarote, causing serious damage to health and obtaining "significant" economic benefit.
The Public Prosecutor accuses José Miguel T. and Francis F.J. of allegedly introducing "large quantities" of cocaine into Lanzarote between 2016 and 2021. To transport the drug, the Public Prosecutor states that they allegedly hid "the substance inside vehicles" that they transported by ferry from other Canary Islands and from Huelva and Cádiz.
In the indictment, the Prosecutor's Office adds the role of Ingrid .L.V.B., allegedly the person in charge of distributing the drug on the island, under the role of "final seller to the consumer."
In March 2021, within the framework of the Civil Guard operation, a Court on the island authorized the search of the defendants' home in Lanzarote, located in Arrecife. When they arrived at the house, the Ministry states that the defendant Ingrid L.V.B. was leaving the house with a backpack and that allegedly narcotic substance was found inside it, which she would use to distribute it through the illicit market, and a semi-automatic pistol, with Air Force number 04513, its magazine and 17 unfired cartridges. The Public Prosecutor states that there is no record that she had a weapons license.
Among the records and the drug seized from inside the backpack, the Benemérita found nine packages of cocaine and others of substances with white powder that was not analyzed, 7,000 euros in cash, a hydraulic press and three mobile phones. The seized substance had a total value of 25,111.64 euros.
The Public Prosecutor classifies the events as a crime against public health in its form of a substance that causes serious damage to health and asks for the three defendants J.M.T.F., F.F.J. and I.L.V.B. six years in prison, with accessory of special disqualification for the right of passive suffrage during the time of the sentence and 75,334.92 euros of fine.
In addition, one year and nine months in prison for a crime of possession of weapons for I.L.V.B., with accessory disqualification for the right of passive suffrage during the time of the sentence.
