site.btaSupreme Court of Cassation to Pronounce on Case against Cocaine Trafficker

Supreme Court of Cassation to Pronounce on Case against Cocaine Trafficker

Sofia, April 24 (BTA) - The Supreme Court of Cassation is about
to pronounce itself on a case against Venelin "Brendo" Banev, a
Bulgarian national who has a 20-year prison sentence in Italy
for cocaine trafficking.

Banev was arrested in 2012 in a Bulgarian-Italian law
enforcement operation. In 2013 he received a 20-year prison
sentence in Italy for involvement with an international ring
trafficking in cocaine.

On July 11, 2014, the Sofia Appellate Court acquitted him of
money laundering and drug trafficking charges by reversing an
earlier sentence of 7.5 years in prison imposed on him by a
first-instance court. According to the prosecution, the money
"laundered" had been acquired from drug trafficking. Three more
persons were acquitted within the case. Their lawyers alleged
that the charges were based solely on assumptions. The sentence
is currently being appealed before a court of last instance.

In the meantime, the Romanian authorities have requested Banev's
extradition to that country to face trial for drugs
trafficking.