V.N.Milfontes: Twenty-six years in prison for six defendants for drug trafficking.
Maksym Rarenko, the alleged ringleader of “Milfontes Connection”, a group that controlled drug trafficking in Vila Nova de Milfontes, He was sentenced to 10 years and 4 months, “reduced” a 8 years in legal height. Four of the six defendants were with suspended sentences.
The Beja Court sentenced to twenty-six years and one month in prison six defendants, four of them in custody, the group that controlled drug trafficking in Vila Nova de Milfontes, county of Odemira, dubbed between local authorities as "Milfontes Connection",
The alleged leader of the group, Maksym Rarenko (ahead in the picture), a Ukrainian citizen, with Portuguese nationality, were you applied 10 years and 4 months in prison, for drug trafficking offenses, prohibited weapon detention and recetação, which in legal height was in 8 year old.
Reading the judgment, the judge explained that the fact that Rarenko “not every day luck knocks on your door. You played too long with fire. Use your intelligence valid things, not the crime”, concluded.
Another of the defendants, Luis Mota (behind, hair shaved), He was sentenced to 4 years and 3 months in prison, but the presiding judge of the Collective, VÃtor Rendeiro, It not suspended the sentence because the defendant "had already been convicted of the crime of trafficking and refused to work hours which replaced the 1 year and 2 months in prison ", held.
The magistrate justified the sentences with the fact that the statements made by the defendants in the first judicial interrogation "have been made freely, without coercion or constraint ", rebutting the positions held with some of the lawyers in the process of closing arguments.
A change in drug trafficking crime classification, for minor traffic, He led it to be promoted to the suspension of sentences for four of the defendants, to be shorter than five years.
Two of the defendants who were freedom, Bruno Nascimento and Pedro Silva, They were sentenced to 3 and 6 months in prison and 2 years and 6 months, respectively. Marco Martins, punished 3 years and 6 months in prison and Manuel Francisco 2 years and 500 euro fine or 65 days in jail, and they were held in chains Beja and Silves, They left in freedom, before the satisfaction of family and friends who attended the reading of the judgment.
VÃtor Rendeiro also explained that "were devalued the testimony of many witnesses, because it was improbable and many based on lies ", including that of a sergeant GNR, who served in the post of Vila Nova de Milfontes and still attached to the Detachment of Odemira, and defended Maksym Rarenko. In places meuos, Ukrainian is seen as "an old acquaintance and friend of local authorities".
During the hearing of the witnesses were sent to extract the prosecution ten certificates by false statements crime. Reading the judgment, the president of the Collective added another: “the court wants to know who is the agent “Batista” passing information to defendants. We want to know if there is and who is. Must be punished”, finished.
Defendants, aged 21 and 39 year old, They were arrested in mid-February of this year, during a "muscular" operation to combat drug, carried out by GNR, which was attended by about 100 Military Territorial Command Beja and Intervention Unit.
In operation GNR seized various amounts of cocaine, heroin, cannabis and exctasy. Were also seized firearms and ammunition, cold steel, firecrackers, caps, laser light signals, 20 mobile phones, gold, talk, jewelry, 2800 euros in cash and a high-powered car.
Teixeira Correia
(journalist)
