Up to nine years imprisonment sought for cocaine laboratory in Faimes, nearly 97 kg seized
The Liège correctional court examined the case of twelve defendants accused of participating in a clandestine cocaine manufacturing laboratory in Faimes. The prosecution sought sentences ranging from four to nine years imprisonment.
Up to nine years imprisonment sought for cocaine laboratory in Faimes, nearly 97 kg seized
Twelve people were tried in Liège for their participation in an illegal cocaine production workshop discovered in an isolated dwelling in Faimes. The facts date back to 31 July, when investigators from the Liège judicial police (PJF) entered the property located on rue du Moulin.
On site, police seized nearly one hundred kilograms of drugs. The installation occupied former horse boxes converted into a processing workshop. The process involved extracting cocaine, recrystallising it, then compacting it into one-kilogramme packages using a hydraulic press. Subsequently, the substance was dried and vacuum-sealed for distribution. Equipment seized also included substantial quantities of chemical products, two pistols with filed serial numbers, and a functional offensive grenade.
Around ten individuals were arrested, including several Colombian nationals hired to handle the products. Before the judges, the prosecution demanded severe sanctions: nine years imprisonment for the three alleged masterminds, two of whom are from Liège and one from Deurne. The property owner, named Kevin, faces a request for six years. The Colombian operators face five years, and the two men tasked with monitoring the site risk four years imprisonment.
The public prosecutor's representative also sought permanent confiscation of the house, more than 100,000 euros in cash, and a counterfeit Rolex watch.
One of the South American defendants recounted his circumstances before the court. He reportedly accepted the task in exchange for a sum of between 8,000 and 10,000 euros for thirteen days on site. Upon arrival at the airport, his documents were allegedly confiscated. He described precarious living conditions: sleeping on air mattresses placed on the ground, a single shower and toilet for the entire team, and work days of 22 hours. He cited the loss of three brothers killed by violence in Colombia and his parents' illness to explain his actions.
Defence counsel all pleaded acquittal on the charge of criminal association and contested the extent of the confiscations. Some of the accused claimed not to know the true nature of their activity.
Source: DH Les Sports+
Source: DHnet