An 82-year-old man in Germany has avoided jail time for drug dealing and instead been given his “very last warning”.
Despite having been arrested on 25 occasions over the years, the pensioner was spared a spell inside by a judge.
During court proceedings, the man explained that his intention behind selling marijuana was to supplement his small retirement pension of 800 euros (£689) as a former seaman, reports The Daily Express US.
Prosecutors had recommended a 34-month prison term for the defendant, given his 24 prior convictions for drug dealing.
However, taking into consideration the defendant’s health issues and the relatively lesser severity of selling marijuana compared to his previous offences, the court in the northern town of Aurich decided against imprisonment.
The judge emphasised that this warning was the defendant’s final chance to avoid a prison term.
This decision comes at a time when Germany is witnessing an increase in drug trafficking.
According to the National Criminal Police Office, there has been a 2.9 percent surge in drug dealing, with a total of 55,941 cases investigated.
In nearly 59.1 percent of these cases, marijuana was found to be the substance involved.
The quantities of seized cocaine also doubled in 2021, reaching at least 23 tons, while the detection of methamphetamine increased by a quarter, amounting to at least 363 kilograms.
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info
Source: Read Full Article