Belgian driver arrested on A7 motorway with 510 kg of cannabis: three years' hard time
A 55-year-old Belgian lorry driver was intercepted on the A7 motorway near Lyon with 510 kg of hashish worth nearly 4 million euros. He received a three-year custodial sentence.
Four million euros' worth of drugs in a refrigerated trailer
A 55-year-old Belgian lorry driver was apprehended on Thursday 21 May at 5 o'clock in the morning at the Reventin-Vaugris toll booth, south of Lyon, according to HLN. French customs officials who inspected his refrigerated vehicle registered in the Netherlands found no refrigerated goods inside: dozens of bags stacked inside contained 510 kilograms of hashish, worth approximately 4 million euros on the street.
Regional newspaper Le Progrès specifies that it was a particularly potent variety, displaying a THC content of 38%.
Debts and promise of 10,000 euros per trip
The investigation established that Stéphane H. had agreed to transport the drugs to alleviate significant financial difficulties. He stated he had accumulated more than 50,000 euros in debts, notably due to medical expenses related to his wife's illness. An acquaintance had then offered him 10,000 euros per run.
The defendant had travelled to Barcelona by plane before bringing the cargo back to France by road. The first three trips had gone smoothly; the fourth fell short.
"I should have listened to my wife"
Before the court, Stéphane H. expressed his regrets. "I should have listened to my wife and my daughter," he said. His wife and daughter had tried to dissuade him from accepting the mission. "I have plunged my family into destitution," he added.
The judge showed no leniency. Stéphane H. was sentenced to three years' imprisonment and a fine of one million euros. His lorry was seized.
Source: HLN