A good example of efficient cooperation at Eurojust led to fast justice delivered by a French court this week. A Dutch citizen was on trial for cocaine trafficking in France. The defendant stated that she was a first-time drug trafficking offender. This defense strategy would mean she would only get a probationary conviction.

The French Public Prosecutor's Office requested the assistance of the French Desk at Eurojust to check the defendant's past offences. The French Desk immediately got in touch with their Dutch counterparts, who within the hour could inform the colleagues from France that the defendant had a probationary conviction for the same offence in the Netherlands.

Based on the documents received from Eurojust, the French prosecutor was able to prove a repeat offence. Based on this essential information, within 4 hours after requesting Eurojust's assistance, the defendant was sentenced to 3 years in prison, a fine of EUR 120 000 and a lifetime ban on entering France after she has finished her sentence. Fast justice and practical cooperation between EU Member States: all under one roof at Eurojust.

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