Seven convicted in the Llops operation appeal sentences in Andorra's Superior Court

The Superior Court of Andorra has concluded hearings on appeals from seven of the eight individuals convicted in the Llops cocaine trafficking case, with the lead defendant publicly expressing remorse before the court reserved judgment.

Lawyers for the group—four convicted of trafficking and three of consumption—requested reduced prison terms, lower fines, and lighter or no expulsions from the Principat. Three traffickers still held at La Comella penitentiary specifically sought release, arguing they had served their firm time.

The main defendant's counsel called his original six-year sentence, €30,000 fine, and permanent expulsion disproportionate. She highlighted his trial confession, clean record, and model conduct at La Comella, where he works and studies to support his family in Peru, including a son with autism. The defense proposed no more than four years total: three in prison, the rest substituted by expulsion.

Prosecutors rejected the plea, noting the Corts court had already cut the initial request by two years for the confession, which came only after evidence emerged. They pointed to his handling of nearly 271 grams of cocaine as justifying the penalty.

Other traffickers' lawyers challenged evidence and procedures. One alleged a privacy violation in a home search without the owner's consent and questioned the cocaine's purity to assess quantity; he sought to nullify seized items and limit his client's role to accomplice, requesting at most a suspended one-year term, €3,000 fine, and no expulsion—or alternatively two years served and €2,000 fine. For a second, he urged basic trafficking charges without aggravating factors like large amounts or sales near leisure spots: 13 months served with the rest suspended, or up to four years and one month, €10,000 fine, and five-year ban. Prosecutors countered with phone chats, cash finds, seized drugs, and the lead defendant's statements proving ongoing trafficking by both.

A fourth trafficker's attorney dismissed the case against him as resting solely on the main suspect's late statement, lacking proof of supplied amounts. After over 20 years in Andorra with family ties, he argued expulsion was excessive and asked for two years served without removal.

Defenses for the three consumers demanded acquittal, insisting no evidence linked them to purchases from the traffickers. One raised partial sentence invalidity, claiming a Corts judge compromised impartiality with biased questions. Lawyers across cases disputed WhatsApp references to "clothes" and "food" as inadequate proof of deals, infringing presumption of innocence.

Fiscalía upheld all verdicts, citing a consistent trafficking pattern in communications about grams, meetings, and transactions.

Before closing the session, the lead defendant apologized to the court, his family, and Andorra for squandering a chance to work legally. He said 70-80% of his prison wages go to his children, especially the autistic son, and begged for a chance to reintegrate and care for them.