Okay to do drugs in Denmark: Swedish court
A 19-year-old woman who was arrested in Sweden for being under the influence of drugs has been acquitted by a Swedish court after the woman claimed she had unknowingly ingested the drugs while in Denmark.
The Swedish teen was arrested in Alvesta in southern Sweden and a subsequent blood test revealed she had amphetamines in her system, according to the local Smålandsposten newspaper.
During her trial, however, the woman explained that the drugs had likely come from a capsule that a man had emptied in a drink he bought for her in a bar in Denmark.
She admitted, however, that she never inquired as to the contents of the capsule.
Regardless, the 19-year-old's account of events was enough to sway the court to throw out the charges against her.
“There is nothing to contradict XX’s own claims that she used the drug in Denmark. She wasn’t arrested in Denmark and no drugs were found on her,” the Växjö District Court said in its ruling.
The court also explained that in order for a Swedish court to convict someone for a crime committed outside of Sweden, the act must also be considered a crime in the country in which it took place.
The court cited similar cases involving people arrested in Sweden for being under the influence of drugs taken in Denmark.
In March 2011, a Swedish court acquitted a 57-year-old woman who had also been arrested in Sweden for being high on amphetamines, but claimed in court she had taken the drugs in Denmark.
At the time, local police officer Ulf Bejrum lamented the use of the “Denmark defence”.
"This means that practically every person in the south of Sweden could say, 'I've just come back from Denmark,' and get away with taking drugs," he told the Hallansposten newspaper following the 57-year-old’s acquittal.
According to Danish law, being under the influence of amphetamines is not a crime, although possessing the drug for personal use is,
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The Swedish teen was arrested in Alvesta in southern Sweden and a subsequent blood test revealed she had amphetamines in her system, according to the local Smålandsposten newspaper.
During her trial, however, the woman explained that the drugs had likely come from a capsule that a man had emptied in a drink he bought for her in a bar in Denmark.
She admitted, however, that she never inquired as to the contents of the capsule.
Regardless, the 19-year-old's account of events was enough to sway the court to throw out the charges against her.
“There is nothing to contradict XX’s own claims that she used the drug in Denmark. She wasn’t arrested in Denmark and no drugs were found on her,” the Växjö District Court said in its ruling.
The court also explained that in order for a Swedish court to convict someone for a crime committed outside of Sweden, the act must also be considered a crime in the country in which it took place.
The court cited similar cases involving people arrested in Sweden for being under the influence of drugs taken in Denmark.
In March 2011, a Swedish court acquitted a 57-year-old woman who had also been arrested in Sweden for being high on amphetamines, but claimed in court she had taken the drugs in Denmark.
At the time, local police officer Ulf Bejrum lamented the use of the “Denmark defence”.
"This means that practically every person in the south of Sweden could say, 'I've just come back from Denmark,' and get away with taking drugs," he told the Hallansposten newspaper following the 57-year-old’s acquittal.
According to Danish law, being under the influence of amphetamines is not a crime, although possessing the drug for personal use is,
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