A 45-year-old man from Jabbeke faces a potential three-year prison sentence for drug trafficking in the Bruges correctional court.
Peter D. has been supplying cocaine for years, and the investigation began on 10 February after his girlfriend reported him to the police. She disclosed that D. had resumed dealing and admitted to using cocaine herself under his influence since May 2022, prompting her to approach the authorities as her addiction spiralled out of control.
During a house search, investigators found 50 grams of cocaine, €5,800 in cash, and a type of drug ledger. Initially, Peter D. exercised his right to remain silent but later confessed to using a gram of cocaine daily.
He also acknowledged delivering drugs for Albanians, but a search of his mobile phone revealed that he was independently dealing too, boasting that his “shop was open again.”
In November 2021, a customer complained about the cocaine’s quality, and even a police officer was found to be among his clients.
The public prosecutor highlighted that D. continued using cocaine and cannabis after a previous conviction. With 25 convictions, including two related to drugs, prosecutor Mike Vanneste sought a three-year prison sentence, potentially with conditions attached.
The defence argued that the accused has lived in uncertainty since 2021 due to problems with debt mediation. It was noted that he remains with his girlfriend, who is now clean. Defence lawyer Franky Baert, therefore, sought a probationary sentence excluding the more than five months already spent in pre-trial detention.
The judge will deliver a verdict on 31 July.
