Sunday January 12, the Minister of Justice Gérald Darmanin announced a strong measure to fight against drug trafficking organized from prison establishments.
According to Tendance-Ouest, this involves isolating the “one hundred biggest drug traffickers” in France, who continue their criminal activities from their cells, in high security prisons from next summer. Among the sites considered is the Alençon Condé-sur-Sarthe penitentiary center, an infrastructure already renowned for housing the most dangerous prisoners.
Condé-sur-Sarthe on the front line
The Condé-sur-Sarthe penitentiary center, with its 204 highly secure placesis considered a model for the reception of this type of detainee. Joaquim Pueyo, former director of the Fleury-Mérogis remand center and current mayor of Alençon, supports this initiative. According to him, it is inspired by the systems already put in place for prisoners linked to terrorism, such as the radicalization assessment and treatment units.
“We must establish ultra-secure prisons, equipped with jammers, video protection and rigorous cell controls,” he explains, citing Condé-sur-Sarthe as an example.
A measure that achieves consensus within the government
The Minister of the Interior Bruno Retailleau, traveling to Le Havre on Monday January 13, also gave his support to this initiative. “Gérald Darmanin is absolutely right to want to isolate the most dangerous drug traffickers in dedicated prisons,” he declared.
However, Joaquim Pueyo insists on the need to train prison staff to prepare them for the pressures and threats exerted by these prisoners. “Some drug traffickers do not hesitate to bribe or intimidate supervisors,” he warns.
A national network envisaged
Although Gérald Darmanin has not yet specified which establishments will be concerned, he raised the possibility of distribute drug traffickers among several highly secure prisons. Joaquim Pueyo cites in particular the center of Vendin-le-Vieil, in Pas-de-Calais, as a possible alternative to Condé-sur-Sarthe.
“We could allocate vacant places in these prisons to these criminals, without disrupting the functioning of the establishments,” he suggests, while emphasizing the importance of build more prisons to avoid prison overcrowding and the tensions it causes.
One objective: secure penitentiary establishments
The project is part of a global strategy aimed at limit trafficking, violence and pressure which arise from cohabitation between prisoners in overcrowded cells. “Each detainee must have his or her own cell, to reduce the interactions that fuel trafficking,” concludes Joaquim Pueyo, recalling the urgency of this measure to ensure security in French prisons.
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