A Danish man denies helping his brother escape from prison by swapping identities during a release procedure. The dramatic jailbreak occurred at Vestre Fængsel, Copenhagen's main prison.
Steffen van Khoa Do, 37, walked free instead of his cellmate brother on June 30, 2021. Do faces charges in a major drug case and appears on Europol's list of Europe's most wanted suspects.
His 35-year-old younger brother now faces accusations of orchestrating the prison escape. Prosecutors claim he planned the identity swap and voluntarily entered isolation to conceal the escape.
The younger brother pleads not guilty to both escape assistance and burning an escape vehicle. His defense attorney Janus Malcolm Pedersen confirmed this position in Copenhagen City Court.
Prosecutor Andreas Juul Bjørn explained the brothers shared a cell due to prison overcrowding. They were detained in separate cases but housed together.
The escape connects to Operation Container, a major drug investigation. German customs initially discovered 300 kilograms of cocaine hidden in a shipping container.
Authorities replaced the drugs with harmless substances and tracked the container to Denmark. Police arrested multiple drug ring members on March 1, 2021, but two suspects escaped in a stolen Mercedes.
Court evidence includes intercepted audio from the accused's wife's car. Recordings from March 5, 2021 capture conversations about burning a vehicle.
In the recordings, voices complain about insufficient manpower for tasks. One speaker states, "If you don't do it yourself, it won't get done properly."
The audio contains street slang and nicknames that complicate interpretation. Background music further obscures some conversations.
Prosecutors presented video showing flashes near the burning car. They argue this proves the vehicle was destroyed intentionally.
Previous Operation Container prosecutions resulted in prison sentences up to 16 years. The Eastern High Court delivered those verdicts last year.
A prison service employee will testify about escorting the wanted man from the facility. This witness wasn't present at the cell but participated in the release.
The case highlights concerning security gaps in Danish prisons. Overcrowding continues to challenge correctional facilities nationwide.
Verdict in the prison escape case is expected Thursday.