A man in his 20s was sentenced by the district court this week to five years in prison for aggravated human trafficking. The court assumed that over a period of more than two years the man had forced his colleague to store and sell drugs, drive pirate taxis and run errands. The man who was a victim of the forced labor had a rare syndrome. This made him particularly vulnerable to threats and exploitation, writes the court. Historic judgment – The judgment is the first of its kind in Norway, says state attorney Monica Krag Pettersen. She took the case to the district court. Public prosecutor Monica Krag Pettersen says she is very satisfied that the district court agrees that the coercion and threats the victim was subjected to is human trafficking. Here from another court case in 2021. Photo: Tonje Grimstad The judgment is one of the few that deals with human trafficking, says Pettersen. Never before has a person been convicted of human trafficking after taking advantage of someone to commit drug crimes. The public prosecutor hopes that the verdict can lead to the police thinking broadly about what can be human trafficking. – It is not unusual for people who are vulnerable for various reasons to be exploited in criminal circles, says Pettersen. She believes the verdict sends an important signal to the perpetrators that they not only risk punishment for their own crime, but also for exploiting others to commit criminal acts for them. Got into debt after a nude photo The defendant has essentially denied criminal guilt. He explained in court that he had never forced his colleague to do anything. The judgment is not final. The defendant’s defender, lawyer Per Zimmer, writes in a text message to news that they will consider appealing. The man’s defender, lawyer Per Zimmer, says they are considering appealing the verdict. The picture is from another trial in 2022. Photo: Lisa Rypeng It appears from the judgment that the court has placed decisive importance on the victim’s explanation. According to the victim, the background for the forced labor was that the defendant told him that he had fallen into debt. This is said to have happened after he had sent a nude picture of himself to a girl on Instagram. The man in his 20s told his colleague that if the money was not paid, the photo would be spread and he and his family would be exposed to violence. In order to obtain money to pay the alleged debt, the victim took out a consumer loan. But the loan did not cover the debt, and he began storing and selling drugs for the defendant. “Unfortunate and degrading” Eventually, the victim drove so much in connection with the drug trade and errands he had to do for the defendant, that he felt compelled to move to another city in order to reduce toll expenses, petrol and time spent. Gradually the debt increased. The victim then sold his car and started driving a pirate taxi. He describes this as the worst period and that he was controlled with an iron hand. The defendant is said to have demanded that he drive a pirate taxi for NOK 12,000 a week. If he did not earn this sum, he had to borrow money from his parents. Up to four times a day, the victim had to come to the defendant with cash. For a period of several months, he slept in a car outside the house where the defendant lived, so that the defendant had control over him. It got cold throughout the autumn and winter. “Very unfortunate and degrading which has also gone beyond personal hygiene”, writes the court about this. To show where he was, the victim had to send a screenshot of his position on Snapchat. Steroids and sexual services As a further attempt to get money from the victim, the defendant is said to have tried to get him to sell sexual services. An advertisement was created, but the victim never met anyone physically. The defendant is also said to have informed the victim that he had to be strong. With this in mind, the defendant is said to have injected him with steroid injections. As a result of what he was exposed to, the victim suffered great psychological stress, the court writes. During the main hearing in November, the defendant had to leave the room when the victim had to explain himself. – I am afraid of him. I have been for several years, because he has ruled five years of my life, explained the victim. – What are you afraid of? asked the judge. – That he will kill my family and me. The defendant was sentenced to pay NOK 100,000 in compensation. news has been in contact with the defense attorney for the victim, who does not wish to comment on the case.
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Forced a colleague to sell drugs and drive a pirate taxi for two years – sentenced to five years in prison
