Darwin R.E., a young man of Dominican descent, was arrested in March in Valladolid while in possession of three kilograms of cocaine valued at over 286,000 euros. In court, he claimed that the drugs did not belong to him, asserting that an acquaintance had asked him to store them at his home in exchange for a small quantity of the drug. He emphasized during the trial that revealing the person’s name could lead to retaliation against his family.
Throughout the proceedings, the prosecution maintained its demand for an eight-and-a-half-year prison sentence and a million-euro fine. Meanwhile, his defense attorney argued for the nullification of all charges, asserting that Darwin was arrested in the entrance of his home, thereby violating his right to the inviolability of the domicile. The defense requested an acquittal as well as a reduced sentence, citing the accused’s severe addiction as a mitigating factor.
On the day of his arrest, Darwin was hospitalized due to a cocaine overdose. His attorney presented evidence that indicated a chronic use of the drug over the previous few months. However, a forensic report suggested that he maintained the ability to understand his actions at the time of the offense.
During the trial, Darwin reiterated that he was merely a custodian of the drugs and insisted that he did not intend to engage in any trafficking. According to his statements, he accepted the responsibility because of personal and financial struggles, compounded by a recent distressing announcement from his wife.
Darwin described a troubling day leading up to his arrest when he received several calls from the person who had given him the drugs, urging him to bring a bag downstairs. He insisted that he was apprehended inside the entrance of his building, holding only a small amount of cocaine, and did not have the opportunity to reach the street on his electric scooter.
Despite his claims, law enforcement officers involved in the investigation stated that he was arrested on the street while riding his scooter and that they were unaware of his activities prior to the incident. The lead investigator explained that Darwin had become a “priority target” due to extensive intelligence indicating he was involved in significant drug activities and connections with other criminals.
The police revealed that previous attempts to track Darwin had been met with challenges, largely because of the precautions he took to avoid detection. Ultimately, he was intercepted on March 14 while leaving his building, and the officers noted that he appeared nervous and attempted to evade them.
After his arrest, a search of his residence uncovered a total of three kilograms of cocaine along with various tools used for drug distribution. Despite Darwin’s insistence on his innocence and lack of prior criminal history, the prosecution’s case against him remains strong, with significant evidence supporting claims of large-scale drug trafficking.
Image and News Source: https://www.infobae.com/america/agencias/2024/07/25/el-detenido-en-valladolid-con-tres-kilos-de-coca-niega-su-propiedad-y-asegura-que-era-un-mero-custodio/
