The police are furious. They had arrested six men, aged 20 to 25, suspected of having carried out lucrative nitrous oxide trafficking between April 1 and June 17, 2024 in Île-de-France. Finally, on September 17, the accused were acquitted by the criminal court of Évry, in Essonne because of a legal loophole, reports The Parisian Thursday October 10.
A poor characterization of the facts, according to the defense
They were prosecuted for “trafficking in substances or plants listed on lists I and II of medicines established by the Public Health Code”, “concealed work in an organized gang and criminal association”. However, their lawyers assured that the facts had been misclassified by the prosecution because “the substances or plants included in lists I and II only concern nitrous oxide for medical use” but rather the “products intended for food”declared Me Margaux Mazier. The lawyer added that the offense raised by the prosecution was punishable by five years in prison, reports the daily. She thus indicated “an inconsistency compared to the latest law which punishes the sale to minors with a fine of 3,500 euros”.
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Justice ordered the return of all property seized during a search, including 28 pallets of nitrous oxide. However, the prosecution appealed this decision.
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Long investigations
The launch of the investigation by the Versailles Banditry Repression Brigade (BRB) dates back to last March. Investigators had observed loading and unloading of nitrous oxide canisters in a warehouse in Ballainvilliers, in Essonne. Customers were also there. They had observed a potential supplier, who went back and forth in these boxes, which he rented under a false name, in order to distribute boxes for cash. The individual apparently brought the goods from Poland, reports The Parisian. The police had learned that a delivery arrived every week in a warehouse in Brie-Comte-Robert, in Seine-et-Marne, before being redistributed to ten other sites in the region, including Fresnes, Rungis and Trappes. . The dealers would have purchased 5 million euros worth of merchandise during the year 2023.
On June 17, investigators finally carried out a major raid combining arrests and searches. In total, 28 pallets, or four tonnes of nitrous oxide, were seized from ten storage locations. The police also got their hands on 120,000 euros in cash, a 7.65 mm caliber pistol, jewelry and luxury clothing. Several vehicles were confiscated, such as a TMax scooter, an Audi Q3, a cross bike, seven jet skis and eight quads, finally listed The Parisian.
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