Early Release: Former Cop and Convicted Drug Trafficker Eirik Jensen Released From Prison
Earlier this year it was announced that former cop and convicted drug smuggler Eirik Jensen will serve the remainder of his 21 year sentence on house arrest after less than 3 years in prison
In May 2024, Tales From the Underworld covered the story of Eirik Jensen, the former Superintendent of the Norwegian police force, who was convicted of drug smuggling and corruption charges in 2014.
Update
In May of this year, it was reported that former Norwegian police officer and convicted drug trafficker Eirik Jensen will be allowed to stay out of prison and serve the remainder of his sentence on an ankle monitor.
In 2017, Jensen was convicted of gross corruption and drug trafficking charges and sentenced to 21 years in prison. It was Norway’s biggest police scandal since the end of World War II.
A lengthy appeals process followed his conviction, during which time Jensen remained free. Eventually, an appeals court upheld Jensen’s convictions and sentence, and in 2020, he began serving his sentence at Kongsvinger Prison.
In March 2023, after serving less than three years of his 21-year sentence, he was suddenly released after it was reported that he was experiencing serious health problems.
Then, in May 2025, it was announced that 68-year-old Jensen would remain permanently released from prison and allowed to serve the remainder of his sentence on an ankle monitor. It turned out that his “medical issues” were mental health-related and that he “simply couldn’t cope with life behind bars.”
Critics argue that this undermines public confidence in the legal system, especially since his lenient treatment and former status as a high-profile police officer can be interpreted as favoritism and unequal treatment under the law.
While he has been released, Jensen still faces some restrictions, including a footlink (ankle monitor), limited movement, and is not allowed to leave Norway. He must also follow an “activity plan,” and appear at meetings when called by prison staff.
So, how did a former highly respected police officer draw a lengthy prison sentence that is on par with some of Norway’s most notorious criminals?
Backstory
In 1977, at age 20, Jensen joined the Norwegian police force. He quickly distinguished himself with his unorthodox methods and excelled in undercover work. During the 1980s, he was a member of a task force focused on busting drug traffickers, biker gangs, members of organized crime, and curbing violence among youth gangs.
Jensen was so dedicated to his work that he even rode motorcycles and frequented biker bars during his free time in order to make connections and build relationships. He was renowned for his ability to build a rapport with those on the other side of the law.
By approaching criminals with mutual respect and understanding, Jensen was able to establish a network of informants and even persuade some gang members to abandon crime and reform their lives.
Regardless of what some both inside and outside the department may have felt about Jensen’s methods and techniques, he steadily rose through the ranks of the department, largely helped by his positive image amongst members of the media, which in turn put the department in a positive light.
Based upon his success, Jensen was eventually promoted to the position of superintendent. Norway’s top cop had finally made it to the top.
Then, in 2014, Eirik Jensen’s world was turned upside down when he was arrested and indicted on drug trafficking and corruption charges. The charges stemmed from his association with one of his informants, named Gjermund Cappelen. Cappelen had been an informant for Jensen since 1993 and was well known to police as a major trafficker of hashish.
When Cappelen was arrested in 2013, he dropped a bombshell. In an attempt to reduce his prison sentence, Cappelen revealed that for years, Eirik Jensen had helped him to traffic and smuggle drugs.
Jensen vehemently denied the charges, claiming his relationship with Cappelen was solely about intelligence gathering. However, Cappelen's testimony, obtained through a promise of leniency, proved damaging.
Prosecutors claimed that for over a decade, Jensen had facilitated Cappelen's illegal activities, receiving millions of kroner (hundreds of thousands of euros) in bribes while turning a blind eye to the smuggling of over 13 tons of hashish.
The evidence did not look good for Jensen. Stored messages and communications between Jensen and Cappelen were damning. It also didn’t help Jensen that during the trial, Cappelen came across as a reliable and forthcoming witness, while Jensen, on the other hand, came across as guarded.
In 2017, Eirik Jensen was found guilty of drug trafficking and gross corruption charges by the Oslo District Court and sentenced to 21 years in prison, the maximum term allowed under Norwegian law.
Aftermath
As stated above, Eirik Jensen began serving his prison sentence in 2020, after several years of legal challenges. His case may have been helped by a 2022 Netflix docuseries titled “Mr. Good: Cop or Crook?” The series delves into Jensen’s possible innocence. Jensen was interviewed from prison for the series.
Jensen has continued to maintain his innocence and claims that he was falsely convicted. He is currently seeking a reprieve at the European Court of Human Rights.
Sources:
“Convicted cop ‘excused’ from jail time.” NewsinEnglish.no, 19 May 2025, https://www.newsinenglish.no/2025/05/19/convicted-cop-excused-from-jail-time/
Berglund, Nina. “Jailed cop’s release sparks debate.” NewsinEnglish.no, 16 March 2023, https://www.newsinenglish.no/2023/03/16/jailed-cops-release-sparks-debate/
Berglund, Nina. “Convicted cop gets maximum jail term.” NewsinEnglish.no, 20 June 2020, https://www.newsinenglish.no/2020/06/20/convicted-cop-gets-maximum-jail-term/
“Convicted cop’s appeals trial begins.” NewsinEnglish.no, 28 August 2018, https://www.newsinenglish.no/2018/08/28/convicted-cops-appeals-trial-begins/
“Cop charged with corruption back in court.” NewsinEnglish.no, 6 November 2019, https://www.newsinenglish.no/2019/11/06/cop-charged-with-corruption-back-in-court/
Zicari, Anthony & Reynolds Timothy, “Eirik Jensen Went From Norway's Top Cop to Convicted Drug Trafficker. Was He Guilty or Framed?” Tales From the Underworld, 26 May 2024, https://www.talesfromtheunderworld.com/p/eirik-jensen-went-from-norways-top