On the surface, they look like an ordinary North Jutland family.
Mom, dad and a bunch of kids.
A detached house in a town in Himmerland.
Grown sons with their own jobs, houses, families.
A handful of grandchildren.
But one autumn day last year, everything changed for the 56-year-old woman and her 62-year-old husband.
Kilos of hard substances
Here she crossed the Danish-German border after a trip to the Netherlands with her adult son.
The police stopped the car there. And found 11 kilos of cocaine.
Since then she has been in custody. So has her husband, while three of the couple’s sons and a fourth mastermind have been convicted in a major case of importing large quantities of amphetamine and cocaine.
On Wednesday, the trial against the 56-year-old woman and 62-year-old man starts at the Court in Aalborg. Here they are both accused of having introduced, respectively, twice in 2023. 12 and 11 kilos of cocaine from the Netherlands to sell the drugs on in Denmark.
The first time the couple is accused of taking the shopping trip south, it is unclear in the indictment which of the two has crossed the border with the drugs, while the last time it was the mother.
Found in car and house
Together with her son, she drove to the Netherlands on 4 October 2023 to pick up 12 kilos of cocaine. But they only received 11, which is why they tried to get the missing kilo.
For some reason it must have failed – at least the police did not find more than 11 kilos of cocaine hidden in the car they stopped at the border on the afternoon of October 6 last year.
Here, mother and son were arrested for their enterprise, and the case began to unravel for the family.
On the same day as the arrest, in addition to the 11 kilos of cocaine from the Netherlands, the police also found 298 grams of the substance and well over a kilo of amphetamine at the couple’s residence in Aars.
Earlier this year, three of their sons were sentenced to a combined 30 years in prison.
Mastermind directed from prison
An older brother and younger brother will both be behind bars for nine years for storing the drugs for a third brother, who in turn has been sentenced to 12 years in prison without parole for his extensive importation and trafficking of hard narcotics.
Although he was more deeply involved in the drug trade than both his younger brother and older brother, according to special prosecutor Kim Kristensen, the actual mastermind was a whole fourth man.
Namely the 27-year-old Janus Bundgaard, who in August i.a. was convicted of instructing the 25-year-old brother to obtain a large amount of drugs in the Netherlands. Incidentally, he orchestrated it all from prison, where he was serving another drug sentence.
On Wednesday, the accused 56-year-old woman and 62-year-old man will have the opportunity to give evidence at the Court in Aalborg.
2024-11-12 18:20:00
#sons #bars #parents #court
**Interview with Criminal Defense Attorney Anna Jorgensen on the Upcoming Trial of the North Jutland Family**
**Editor:** Thank you for joining us today, Anna. As we look ahead to the trial of the couple from North Jutland, can you provide us your insights into what we know so far about the case?
**Anna Jorgensen:** Thank you for having me. It’s indeed a concerning case that has attracted quite a bit of attention. From what we’ve gathered, the couple—ages 56 and 62—were arrested after being found with significant quantities of cocaine. They allegedly crossed the Danish-German border in possession of both 12 and 11 kilos of cocaine, which raises serious legal implications.
**Editor:** What specifics can you share about the couple’s legal situation as they head into this trial?
**Anna Jorgensen:** Both individuals are facing serious charges. They are accused of importing and intending to distribute large amounts of cocaine in Denmark. The unfolding details suggest that their adult son was involved in the operation as well. It’s vital to note that in these cases, the prosecution often has a challenging task proving intent to distribute, particularly since they need to establish not just possession but also a clear plan to sell.
**Editor:** It’s quite a shocking situation, especially considering their family background. Given their past as seemingly ordinary citizens, how might this affect the perception during the trial?
**Anna Jorgensen:** Absolutely, the juxtaposition between their family life and the severity of the allegations is striking. This can lead to a spectrum of public perception—from shock to disbelief. It might even affect jury members, who can have biases based on the defendants’ previous lifestyle. The defense attorneys may highlight their familial ties and responsibilities to portray them in a different light.
**Editor:** The indictment mentions that in one instance, it’s unclear who actually crossed the border with the drugs. How does that ambiguity play into the defense strategy?
**Anna Jorgensen:** Ambiguity in the indictment may be beneficial for the defense. If the prosecution cannot definitively prove who was responsible for crossing the border with the drugs, it might weaken their case. The defense can argue the uncertainty and potentially create reasonable doubt for the jury.
**Editor:** what can we expect as the trial unfolds?
**Anna Jorgensen:** Expect considerable media coverage, given the case’s unique elements. The trial will likely explore the dynamics of family involvement in organized crime. It could raise questions about motivations and pressures faced by individuals when dealing with drug trafficking. The courtroom proceedings will delve deep into the evidence collected, and we should pay attention to how the defense addresses the nature of the couple’s alleged crime.
**Editor:** Thank you, Anna. It will be crucial to monitor how this case develops in the coming days.
**Anna Jorgensen:** Thank you for having me. It’s an important case that raises various legal and societal questions.
