Drug trafficking in the West: eight people tried in Saumur, alleged leader imprisoned
Eight individuals appear in court in Saumur for drug trafficking spanning five departments. The alleged organiser, already in detention, is said to have directed operations from his cell.
Drug trafficking in the West: eight people tried in Saumur, alleged leader imprisoned
The criminal court in Saumur, in Maine-et-Loire, has been examining a major drugs case since Monday 22 June 2026. Eight defendants, including one woman, are accused of participating in a network active for nearly a year, between June 2025 and May 2026.
The criminal organisation extended across several regions of western France. Investigators established illicit activities in five departments: Maine-et-Loire, Loire-Atlantique, Deux-Sèvres, Indre-et-Loire and Orne. To dismantle this structure, law enforcement mobilised approximately one hundred gendarmes in spring 2026.
The case involves a 27-year-old man already known to police and judicial authorities. At the time of the events, he was behind bars. Despite this, investigations suggest that he retained control of the criminal enterprise and issued directives to his accomplices from within the penitentiary establishment.
This trafficking appears to be a continuation of a previous case involving members of his family. After the dismantling of this first structure, the main suspect is said to have managed to form a new team and restart illicit activities.
The hearings are taking place in a stifling atmosphere, with the heatwave making the small courtroom particularly uncomfortable for the defendants and the magistrates alike. The proceedings continue with the presumption of innocence for each of the accused.
Source: Ouest-France
Source: Google News FR — Crime (fr)