1.2 million euros found in the cache of a van, 15 arrests

The Marseille prosecutor’s office announced this Saturday, November 9, the seizure by the Anti-Narcotics Office of 1.2 million euros in the cache of a van as well as 15 arrests after long months of investigation.

Investigators from the Marseille Anti-Narcotics Office (OFSAT) arrested 15 people and seized 1.2 million euros this Monday, November 4, announced the Marseille public prosecutor, Nicolas Bessone.

The police were intervening in a drug trafficking laundering case opened in the summer of 2023 by the prosecution. In September 2023, he had already allowed the seizure of 43 kg of cocaine and 50,550 euros and the indictment of three people.

Investigators discovered “a very active and lucrative system for collecting money from drug trafficking”: several times a week, transfers of bags of several hundred thousand euros in banknotes hidden in vehicles equipped with caches developed were operated.

A team of drivers working throughout France

This team of drivers who traveled throughout France could recover large sums of money from different drug trafficking networks to centralize them in the Paris region and carry out laundering through multiple companies.

“At the beginning of the week, the police arrested five people from Marseille, participants in this trafficking and relays for these transfers of funds. They were also able to intercept two individuals in Vaucluse during the transport of the van containing the money in a convoy. Finally , with the assistance of OFAST Nanterre, eight men were arrested in Île-de-France in the area of ​​organizing cash transport and money laundering,” adds the Marseille prosecutor’s office.

Three defendants were presented Thursday, November 7 before the investigating judge and indicted on charges of drug trafficking, participation in a criminal association with a view to committing offenses punishable by 10 years of imprisonment and money laundering. drug trafficking.

One individual was placed in pre-trial detention and the two others under judicial supervision. The presentations continue and requests for placement in pre-trial detention will be taken by the Marseille prosecutor’s office.