The drug dealer, known as the “Escobar of Pedrogão”, locality in the municipality of Vidigueira, was sentenced to a single sentence of 7 years in prison for the crimes of drug trafficking and possession of a prohibited weapon.
He was acquitted of a crime of disobeying an order to stop the GNR soldiers who arrested him on the night of 15 March last year.
According to the ruling handed down last Friday, which Lidador Notícias (LN) We had access, the defendant was sentenced to six years and six months in prison, for the most serious crime, or drug trafficking, and one year in prison, for possession of 66 cartridges, lead, zagalotes and bullet and also a dagger and a crossbow, which resulted in seven years in prison.
Luís Frade, of 43 year old, He was arrested by soldiers of the Center for Criminal Investigation (NIC) GNR Beja, having in your possession more than 6.270 doses of various types of narcotics, which at market prices would be worth more than 260 thousand euros, having also been seized 106.239 euro cash.
Before a Panel of Judges from the Beja Court, the individual confessed to having sold heroin and cocaine, “less hair since the Covid-19 pandemic”, justifying that the hashish also found in his possession “was for his own consumption”.
When asked about the large amount he had in his possession, the defendant justified with “a shower of 70.000 thousand euros that I gave and whose debt rose to 120 thousand euros. I was forced to sell drugs to pay off the debt. The money would be delivered when it was in full.”, concluded. The explanation did not convince the Panel of Judges, all the more so as the defendant did not explain how and where it occurred and who the targets of the “bath” were..
Various consumers, heard as witnesses for the prosecution, confirmed that they had purchased drugs from the detainee, justifying that “a gram of heroin cost 40 euros”.
Following the various searches he was subjected to,, the following quantities of narcotics were seized from “Escobar de Pedrogão”: 5.289 doses of heroin, 520 doses of cocaine, 410 hash doses, 57 doses of lime and 66 seeds of cannabis. In addition to the huge amounts of narcotics, suspects were also seized. 106.239 euro cash, spread across different parts of the house, in vehicles and still carry in pockets.
A greenhouse that was installed inside a residence was also dismantled and various electrical materials and articles related to the preparation were seized., packaging and conditioning of narcotics. The NIC military seized three vehicles, a motorcycle, 66 caliber ammunition 12, a beast, a dagger, two knives, five mobile phones, three scales and two laptop computers.
The Collective of Judges determined that “Escobar de Pedrogão”, will continue to wait in preventive detention at the Beja Prison, the final judgment of the case, since the ruling is subject to appeal to the Court of Appeal of Évora.
Teixeira Correia
(journalist)
