Czech anti-drug police arrest local Romani councilor

News server iDNES.cz reports that detectives have charged Marcel Cichý, a local councilor and teacher at a primary school in Trmice, with distributing drugs. Cichý and other Romani candidates in the "Together for Trmice" (Independent Choice) movement won election to the local council last October with 19.22 % of the vote, ending up in second place and taking three seats.  

"We have arrested three perpetrators for the illegal sale of methamphetamine. All are in custody," Barbora Kudláčková, spokesperson for the National Anti-Drug Headquarters, told iDNES.cz.

News server Romea.cz has been informed that Cichý was arrested last Wednesday. Police do not want to comment on the arrest.

"This is a shock and a surprise. I am psychologically devastated," Martin Bajger, another councilor from the same movement, told iDNES.cz.

"I believe Marcel is innocent. I hope this will all be corrected and it will be proven he has not committed any crime," said Bajger.

The same opinion was expressed by Martina Horváthová of the Slovo 21 organization in Prague."I am convinced that Marcel Cichý is innocent, I know him to be a loving father and conscientious worker. The whole thing just doesn't fit," Horváthová told news server Romea.cz.  

"This is a surprise to us. It is even sadder that it involves a drug offense because he is a primary school teacher," said Mayor Jana Oubrechtová.

Police officers have charged three people with unlicensed production and other handling of narcotic drugs, poisons, and psychotropic substances, for which they face between two and 10 years in prison if convicted. Police made the arrests in Trmice on 7 January.

The spokesperson for the National Anti-Drug Headquarters indicated that the case may concern more communities than just Trmice. "There are other connections, but we will publicize them later," Kudláčková said, adding that more details will be released on Monday.