Lithuanian soldier traded army gear and tons of drugs, but the court showed mercy

The Panevezhys District Court showed extraordinary leniency toward a 27-year-old former serviceman, sentencing him to a symbolic term for stealing military equipment and large-scale drug trafficking.

He supplied drugs across most of Lithuania: Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipeda, Siauliai, Alytus, Marijampole, Taurage, and Palanga. During a search, over 5 kg of cocaine and mephedrone were seized from him.

For wholesale drug dealing on this scale, the law provides for 10 to 15 years in prison. However, the court imposed a sentence below the minimum — only four years in prison.

Thus, the soldier stole from his base, got fellow soldiers addicted to drugs, and will serve a negligible sentence, knowing that harsh punishment is unlikely.