Man sentenced in arcade cannabis trial

The main suspect in the cannabis-stuffed claw machine trial has been sentenced to 14 years, after refusing to reveal the brain behind the illegal operation.

According to local media, a 54-year-old Greek national, who was arrested last year on drug related charges, will spend 14 years behind bars after he was convicted for hiding approximately 64 kilos of cannabis inside an arcade game in a Limassol warehouse.

The man’s lawyer told the Limassol criminal court on Wednesday that his client had huge debts and owed back taxes to the Greek government, while he was also battling drug addiction which pushed him towards criminal activity.

Police discovered the drugs stashed inside a claw machine in October 2018, acting on information they had received from Interpol. The arcade game was inside a rented warehouse in Agios Athanasios, while it was never clarified whether police believed more drugs could have reached their destination under the same scheme.

The suspect had initially told investigators the cannabis, 63 kilos and 700 grams, was destined for his own private use but investigators were unconvinced. He later reportedly divulged the names of other individuals possibly connected with the case but has yet to reveal the brain behind the operation.