– We think it is absolutely terrible that he is there all alone, and does not know the language, says the daughter. One week ago, the father was extradited to Spain, charged in what is referred to as “the biggest drug boat case in the world”. No one has heard from him since. Neither the family, the man’s Norwegian lawyer Brynjar Meling nor the Ministry of Foreign Affairs know where in Spain he is. – What we are most excited about is just hearing from him that he is doing well, says the daughter. Anniken Kristiansen’s father helped sail in this sailboat as a couple of friends from Kristiansand, which they must have rented from Finn.no. The picture was taken in Spain. Photo: Private – There must have been a mistake Around 50 people have been arrested in the extensive “cocaine boat case”. It concerns large quantities of cocaine that are said to have been smuggled to and from Spain. Twelve Norwegians have been arrested and wanted extradited, according to Fædrelandsvennen. Anniken Kristiansen’s father is one of them. He denies criminal guilt. According to defense counsel Brynjar Meling, the man has not been convicted from before. – We have never had any doubts that there must have been a mistake, says the daughter. Lawyer Brynjar Meling is the defender of the cocaine-accused Southerner. Photo: Marthe Synnøve Johannessen / news The daughter describes her father as a quiet and calm type around whom there is no noise. – It is not something we have seen coming at all. He has been in the wrong place at the wrong time, the daughter believes. news has requested access to the criminal record, but has not yet received a response. On a trip with a couple of friends The daughter says that on two occasions the father has been on a sailing trip in Spain with a couple of friends. This pair of friends has also been charged in the case, and extradited to Spain. The couple must have rented the boat from Finn, according to the daughter. This is the case The man in his 60s from Kristiansand is one of twelve Norwegians arrested in the international smuggling case which has been named “Operation Mentor”. Two other southerners have also been arrested and extradited to Spain. Two other Norwegians will be central to the international network, news has previously mentioned. In total, just over 50 people have been arrested, according to Europol. The police believe the network has a total of 20 sailboats which they have used to transport large quantities of cocaine to Spain. Colombian police also say that two sailboats were ready to transport one ton of cocaine to Spain. The one Norwegian was to be responsible for the transport. And it is this boat that is now being connected to the network. The daughter knows parts of the arrest warrant from Spain, where, according to her, it says that the father and the two other southerners have been on board a boat that allegedly helped a “cocaine boat” that was about to go down. The daughter believes this has not happened. Anniken Kristiansen is worried about her father. She wonders if he might be in Madrid, but is unsure. A week has passed since she last heard from him. Photo: Per-Kåre Sandbakk / news Concerned about legal certainty The family reacts to the fact that a week has passed without them hearing anything from the man in his 60s. Now they are worried about whether his legal security is well enough safeguarded in Spain. That he gets his own interpreter and defense attorney is one of the things the daughter is most concerned about. She is also critical of the fact that the Norwegian police have not taken their own investigative steps in the case, before he was extradited. Agder police district confirmed that they have not carried out their own investigation into the grounds for suspicion. – The police have, in line with the Arrest Warrants Act, based the arrest warrant as it is available from the Spanish authorities, says Bernt Olav Bryge, the prosecuting officer. Police attorney Bernt Olav Bryge in the Agder police district. Photo: Per-Kåre Sandbakk / news Wants to travel to Spain The daughter also says that she is critical of the fact that the Norwegian authorities do not follow up to ensure that the father gets a fair trial in Spain. Lawyer Brynjar Meling defends the man in his 60s. He says that he has not yet made contact with his client. The Norwegian Foreign Service replies to news that they are trying to get in touch with Anniken Kristiansen’s father, and that they will offer consular assistance. – We do not know where the person in question is today, but have asked the Spanish authorities for this information, says senior adviser Mathias Rongved in the Foreign Ministry. The daughter says that the family will travel to Spain to visit her father as soon as they know where he is. – We wonder if he might be in Madrid, but that he might be sent on to Tenerife. We have no idea, concludes Anniken Kristiansen. Hello! Do you have any tips on this or other issues? Feel free to contact me. Published 05.09.2024, at 19.16
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– Absolutely terrible – news Sørlandet – Local news, TV and radio
