A 27-year-old woman received a six-year prison sentence for smuggling 17 kilograms of cocaine into Denmark. The Randers District Court convicted her on Friday for participating in two international smuggling operations.
Rikke Rée Holtz transported drugs hidden in a specially built Volvo with a concealed compartment. Prosecutors said she stored the cocaine in Randers before distributing it to buyers across Jutland, Denmark's mainland peninsula.
Authorities acquitted her of involvement in a third smuggling trip. The defendant worked at a hot dog stand until her arrest last year, a common type of fast food outlet in Scandinavia.
This case connects to a larger drug trafficking ring where a 30-year-old man initially received 13 years for smuggling 112 kilograms of cocaine. An appeals court later reduced his sentence to 12 years.
Another 23-year-old received convictions for possessing 16,000 OxyContin tablets and receiving at least five kilograms of cocaine this spring. OxyContin is a powerful painkiller known for its high addiction potential.
Special Prosecutor Jeanni Andreeva expressed satisfaction with the verdict. She said in a statement that the significant prison term demonstrates tough consequences for smuggling hard drugs into Denmark, even for minor participants.
The convicted woman has requested consideration time for a potential appeal.
This sentencing marks the fourth conviction in the drug network, showing coordinated efforts to dismantle organized crime groups operating between Denmark and other European countries. The use of hidden vehicle compartments reveals sophisticated smuggling methods despite the defendant's ordinary public-facing job.