Regional court - Verdict expected in trial over 200 tons of shisha tobacco
The verdict in the trial over 200 tons of untaxed shisha tobacco is to be announced this Monday (09.00). The Düsseldorf Regional Court has been trying the five defendants, who are attributed to the Al-Z. clan, for more than a year. The 38 to 51-year-old men from Solingen are accused of gang and commercial tax evasion and tax theft.
They are alleged to have illegally produced untaxed hookah tobacco in professionally equipped factories in Solingen and Langenfeld and sold it under counterfeit brand names throughout Germany and in other European countries. The indictment speaks of a tax loss of over four million euros.
During a raid in July 2018, 2.3 tons of water pipe tobacco, 550 kilograms of raw tobacco, machines, five high-quality cars and cash were seized. Officers from the Essen customs investigation office searched 29 properties in Solingen, Essen, Langenfeld and Heilbronn during the operation.
The public prosecutor's office has demanded prison sentences of between two years and three months and five years. The defense lawyers for the two alleged main perpetrators, aged 46 and 51, have demanded suspended or moderate prison sentences for their clients. The defense attorneys for the three co-defendants have requested acquittals.
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The trial over the Al-Z. clan's alleged involvement in commercial tax evasion and tax theft of shisha tobacco, totaling over 200 tons, is taking place in Düsseldorf's Regional Court. The defendants, all from Solingen, are said to have produced and sold untaxed tobacco in factories in Solingen and Langenfeld, leading to a tax loss of over four million euros.
The Düsseldorf Regional Court has been handling this complex case for over a year, with five defendants facing charges of gang-related activities. The seizure of 2.3 tons of shisha tobacco, 550 kilograms of raw tobacco, machines, high-value cars, and cash during a raid in 2018, is evidence of their criminal activities in North Rhine-Westphalia and beyond.
If convicted, the defendants face prison sentences of up to five years. However, the defense lawyers are arguing for leniency, with the two main suspects' lawyers requesting suspended or moderate sentences. Meanwhile, the lawyers for the three co-defendants have submitted requests for their clients' acquittal.
The long-term effects of this case could potentially impact the tobacco industry and the regional economy of Solingen and North Rhine-Westphalia, given the size and scope of the alleged criminal operation.
Source: www.stern.de
