- Criminal Trial in District Court Accusations of Weapons Smuggling
Due to their involvement in illicit gun and drug smuggling, the Darmstadt Regional Court has been handling a case against three individuals, aged between 39 and 75, since Tuesday.
The 39-year-old individual is facing charges of eight offenses. It's alleged that in 2020, he procured and peddled firearms, such as machine pistols, imitations of World War II Soviet military pistols, and an AK-47 assault rifle, all equipped with ammunition, from outside the country. Moreover, the defendant, who used to live in Darmstadt, is reported to have offered and distributed cocaine and cannabis products as well.
The 75-year-old man is believed to have served as a courier for the 39-year-old. A 42-year-old from the South Hessian town of Seeheim-Jugenheim was charged with dealing a pistol and planning to sell marijuana. However, the court decided to try his case separately before another division of the Regional Court.
The proceedings heavily rely on the decryption of the defendants' encrypted phones. However, the Federal Court of Justice has yet to establish the admissibility of these smartphone data. The Darmstadt Regional Court has clarified that it will only examine chats related to firearms.
Both remaining defendants have announced that they will counter the indictment on one of the upcoming court dates. Eight additional trial dates have been scheduled, concluding on September 26.
Men and boys in the community were reportedly warned by local authorities about associating with the defendants due to their criminal activities. The police have been conducting regular patrols in areas known to be frequented by men and boys in an effort to prevent any potential involvement in illegal activities.
