A Russian court has handed down prison sentences to a young married couple convicted of selling drugs to raise money for their honeymoon, the Federal Drug Control Service (FSKN) reported Tuesday.
The couple from the Siberian city of Tomsk, who married shortly before the New Year's holidays two years ago, were found guilty of running an online shop that sold synthetic drugs masquerading as “legal bath salts,” the agency said in an online statement.
“The young family planned to supply Tomsk with enough drugs for all of the New Year's holidays, and used the money they made to go on a honeymoon trip to an exotic country, but fate ruled otherwise,” the statement said.
The couple were charged with large-scale drug selling by an organized crime group — a charge that carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, FSKN reported.
Given the couple's lack of prior criminal offenses, their cooperation with the investigation, and good character references, a Tomsk city court sentenced the groom to eight years in prison, and the bride to seven years in prison, the statement said.
Two of their male accomplices were also found guilty of involvement in the drug-selling business — both friends of the groom — and were each sentenced to seven years in prison, the statement said, adding that all three men were to serve out their sentences in a maximum-security prison.
