Counterfeit cigarette trafficking: French-Belgian-Moroccan network dismantled in Somme, 12 arrests
Twelve people were arrested in September in the Somme department in connection with trafficking in counterfeit tobacco from Belgium, with links to Morocco.
Counterfeit tobacco network dismantled in Somme: 12 charged, 3 remanded in custody
Twelve people were arrested and charged in September 2026 in the Somme department as part of the dismantling of a counterfeit cigarette trafficking network sourced from Belgium, according to lefigaro.fr, which reports a joint statement from the Amiens prosecutor's office and the national gendarmerie released on Wednesday.
Three of those charged were remanded in custody, whilst nine others were placed under judicial supervision, the statement specifies.
The investigation established that at least 30 tonnes of counterfeit tobacco, valued at 20 million euros, had been imported by this network, which had links in Belgium and Morocco.
The arrests took place on 14 and 22 September 2026, following several months of investigation conducted by the Amiens Research Section, with the support of the Somme gendarmerie grouping. The case was initiated in June 2025 by customs interception of a utility vehicle transporting 6,000 cartons of counterfeit cigarettes. Judicial proceedings were opened in December 2025.
The prosecutor's office and gendarmerie emphasise that the investigation benefited from "significant international police cooperation" with Belgian and Moroccan authorities.
During the operation, investigators seized 2.230 tonnes of counterfeit cigarettes, 10 vehicles, weapons and more than 85,000 euros in cash.
Source: Google News MA — Crime (fr)