The Higher Regional Court (OLG) Graz has recently made a remarkable decision. The extradition of a 54-year-old resident of Styria who, according to the US judicial authority DEA and the local federal criminal investigation department, allegedly belonged to an international drug cartel operating from the US and Colombia, was rejected by a decision. As leader of a camp in Graz, he is said to have stowed away more than 100 kilos of heroin.
The Montenegrin was arrested in Styria on April 15, 2021, based on a request from the US Department of Justice and an arrest warrant from a federal court in New York. An extradition request has been sent through the US Embassy in Vienna and the judiciary has initially declared extradition to the US lawful. However, the Viennese lawyer Philipp Wolm, who specializes in detention law, filed a complaint against this – and was now proved right by the Higher Regional Court of Graz.
The extradition of the alleged drug dealer was declared inadmissible, extradition custody lifted and the release of the 54-year-old ordered. The man was only able to hug his family briefly. Because the prosecutor’s office in Graz is also conducting proceedings against him, that is why he is now in prison.
mafia structures
The undercover detectives tracked down several members of the organization living in Austria, pretending to be interested in drugs and pretending to negotiate the purchase of heroin. They encountered the 54-year-old and two other suspects registered in Vienna who commuted between the federal capital and South America for drug deals.
The drug gang, to which the 54-year-old would belong since the fall of 2020, traded in excess amounts of cocaine and heroin. In October 2019, 850 kilograms of cocaine in banana boxes were seized in the Colombian port of Turbo. In February 2020, cocaine was seized in the Italian port of Gioia Tauro, which was to be transported to Koper in Slovenia. The DEA then conducted an undercover investigation, which revealed that the gang had stored large amounts of heroin in Austria.
Suitcase with 2.6 million euros
In December 2020, four packages containing two kilograms of heroin with a purity of 43 percent were handed over to American investigators at Graz airport. At the beginning of February 2021, the 54-year-old initially offered another 200 kilos, although he allegedly assured that 100 kilos would be immediately available because they were in a warehouse in Graz. At another meeting in March, it was expressly agreed that 135 kilos will be delivered at a sales price of 19,000 euros per kilo. At the latest meeting, DEA officials apparently even pulled out a briefcase of cash containing $2.6 million, setting two delivery dates for the last week of April. This did not happen again, the 54-year-old was arrested and further searches were launched.
Extradition could result in life imprisonment
The Graz Supreme Court rejected the extradition of the 54-year-old, who was found not guilty in Austria, because domestic proceedings against him were pending and assigning the investigation to the US would amount to an unacceptably worse position for the suspect: for the offenses he is accused of, in Germany up to 15 years, but in the US life imprisonment. In addition, the OLG Graz based its decision on the fundamental right to respect for family life. The man has been married for 20 years, has a two-year-old son and, according to the Oberlandesgericht in Styria, is “deeply rooted in the family”.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
