The 34-year-old Vahid-Jafar M. has killed himself. He called the police because he thought he saw suspicious figures in his courtyard. When the police did a check she found a sports bag from Vahid-Jafar M. containing 165,000 euros and 3.5 kg of cocaine. He is now risking 40 months in prison.

Vahid M. had organized a fun party at the end of February in his apartment in the Lamorinièrestraat in Antwerp. He had met a man in a park who had asked him to keep a bag of money and cocaine for him. Altogether no less than 165,000 euros in small denominations and a stock of 3.5 kg of cocaine. Vahid M. grabbed the money and invited two prostitutes.

The evening turned into the night. Vahid M. became intoxicated with drugs and alcohol. He suddenly thought he saw suspicious lights in the garden. That had to be burglars. He called the police.

But then he saw his blunder. He quickly threw the sports bag with drugs and money onto the terrace of his neighbor. The agents checked the garden and noticed the sports bag. The neighbor was astonished. How did he end up on his terrace? Vahid M. admitted that he had put the bag there.

Wednesday morning in court, the public prosecutor recalled that in 2018 Vahid-Jafar M. had been sentenced to six years in prison for cocaine trafficking. His organization that worked from a newspaper shop in Berchem at the time had 18 couriers who delivered the cocaine to the man on the street. The 70-year-old mother of Vahid-Jafar also participated in the organization, according to online news media HLN

The public prosecutor demanded 40 months in prison for these new facts. She did not believe Vahid-Jafar’s explanation that he had received the drugs and money from someone.

On reflection

Lawyer John Maes asked the judges not to give Vahid-Jafar a new punishment but to have these new facts absorbed by his sentencing to six years at the end of last year.

The man himself explained to the judges that he had relapsed into cocaine use because he was out of work. However, he had already proven that he could do without drugs. He had made a reflection trip to Mexico and had been kicked off without problems.

The judge will make a ruling on July 15.