Drug trafficking at La Reynerie: ten defendants tried in Toulouse following Operation Clean Slate XXL
Ten people are appearing before Toulouse's criminal court for drug trafficking at the Auriacombe dealing point in the La Reynerie district. Nearly all of them contest the role attributed to them by the investigation.
Ten profiles, ten versions before Toulouse's criminal court
Ten defendants—five in detention, five appearing at liberty—have been tried since Tuesday before Toulouse's criminal court in the case of the Auriacombe dealing point in the La Reynerie district. According to Google News FR—Crime (fr), which is reporting on coverage from La Dépêche du Midi, the trial follows the "Operation Clean Slate XXL" conducted more than two years ago. The accused, aged 21 to 45, have very different backgrounds: some are fathers of families, others unemployed or professionally established. Nearly all contest the place the investigation attributes to them in the network.
An eleventh defendant, Abdelmadjid, will not be tried with them: his case was postponed after his lawyer, Me Daniel Molina, challenged the expert analysis of his telephone, which was carried out in Monaco.
The two brothers at the heart of the case
At the centre of the matter are the brothers Mehdi and Reda. Mehdi, 33 years old, separated and father of two children aged 10 and 6, claims to have lived from reselling used vehicles. Apprehended in Spain, he is presented by investigators as one of those responsible at the top of the trafficking network. His criminal record includes twelve convictions, seven of which are related to drugs. At the bar, he contests any involvement in the Auriacombe network.
His brother Reda admits only to the drugs found at his home. "Nothing to do with the Auriacombe network," he assures. Investigators identify him by the nickname "Manu" and attribute to him an important role in the organisation, relying notably on recordings from a Renault Clio.
From youngest to oldest: contested roles
At 21 years old, Laouari is the youngest of the defendants. He lived with his parents and worked in construction; his record was clean at the time of the investigation. The presiding judge describes him as a "pivotal figure". He admits to having supplied the dealing point on one occasion but contests the central place the prosecution attributes to him.
Jennat, 30 years old, a former beautician and ex-partner of Mehdi, appears on money-laundering charges. Her telephone conversations, in which she discussed money circulating around Auriacombe and the supposed role of her former partner, occupy an important place in the case. "I acknowledge everything I said, it's hearsay from outside," she defends herself. "You certainly talk a lot. You paint us the picture," replies the presiding judge.
Aziz, 45 years old, is the eldest of the group. Separated, father of six children and recipient of the disabled adult allowance, he has already been convicted for drug-related offences. During the investigation, he had admitted to playing the role of "treasurer". Nearly eleven kilograms of cannabis were found at his home, along with €2,000 in cash, a new television and a jet ski.
Small players and minimised roles
Abdelkader, 22 years old, lived with his parents and had never worked, despite an already substantial criminal record. Investigators know him by the nickname "K2" and attribute to him a role in managing the dealing point. "I'm not the manager, I'm just a small player," he replies at the bar.
Mohamed, 28 years old, married and father of two children, worked as a cook and then as a courier driver. Suspected of having served as treasurer, he dismisses the accusations: "I admit nothing at all." Slimane, 33 years old, separated and father of one child, for his part claims to have long since left that world: "I've hung up my boots." Investigators nonetheless identify him by the nickname "Slip".
Sammy, living with his parents and employed in plumbing and heating, also contests his involvement in the network. Anthony, 35 years old, separated, father of two children and without employment, admits only to having served as an intermediary for small quantities of drugs but rules out any connection with the organisation being prosecuted.
The judge ironises about the denials
Ten backgrounds, ten versions, and as many ways of minimising the role attributed by the investigation. Faced with this accumulation of denials, the presiding judge ended up ironising: "If we summarise things, before us we don't have a drug network. We got it completely wrong."
The trial continues until Wednesday. The charges brought against the defendants include drug trafficking and, for some, money laundering.
Source: Google News FR — Crime (fr)