Denounced by four minors aged 13 to 16, three Montpellier residents suspected of drug trafficking have been imprisoned

Des perquisitions ont été opérées. Midi Libre – Illustration JEAN-MICHEL MART

La présidente du tribunal judiciaire de Montpellier a demandé un supplément d’informations dans cette affaire dont le procès a été renvoyé au 24 février 2025.

Three men, suspected of drug trafficking and designated as having forced four minors aged 13 to 16 to work, were placed in pre-trial detention on Monday, December 23, pending their trial postponed to February 24.

This is the decision taken by the president of the Montpellier judicial court, Alix Fredon, against a 34-year-old Moroccan, living in Castelnau-le-Lez, already convicted four times for group violence, aggravated theft, drug trafficking and road traffic offences.

But also a Franco-Turk, calling himself a “nomad” aged 29, whose record shows three convictions. As well as his cousin, a 24-year-old Turk in an irregular situation on the national territory, already convicted six times for theft, violence against a police officer, receiving stolen goods, driving without a license and domestic violence.

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Report of kidnapping and sequestration

But let's get to the facts. On Wednesday, December 18, at around 10:30 p.m., four runaway minors, three Mulhouse residents aged between 13 and 16 and a 14-year-old girl from Perpignan, called the police and reported being victims of kidnapping, sequestration and violence perpetrated by two adults, from whose hands they had managed to escape.

Taking their testimony very seriously, a team of national police officers immediately went to the scene, in the Celleneuve district. And, while the four minors tell them about their adventures, they point out a car that is passing nearby with two individuals on board as being the famous perpetrators.

1 350 euros in cash on them

The pair, in this case the two cousins, are immediately arrested and taken into custody. Their search will reveal that they are in possession of 1,350 euros. An investigation is immediately launched.

If the search of a first apartment yields nothing, the same is not true for the second, occupied by the 34-year-old Moroccan. Although the latter explains that he does not know the two cousins, he does admit to playing the role of wet nurse.

Drugs and money found during search

In the home, 1.8 kg of cannabis resin, 600 g of grass, 20 g of cocaine and a sum of money worth several hundred euros were seized. After four days in police custody, the trio was presented at the immediate appearance hearing of the Montpellier judicial court on Monday, December 23.

“This is a case without proof, protested Maître Marc Gallix, defending the 24-year-old Turk. We are abandoning the kidnapping and sequestration and are now moving towards drug trafficking, but there is no proof and, above all, no drugs were found on my client or on his cousin for that matter. And the nanny says he doesn't know them, we're walking on our heads.”

Two identical keys…

With one detail, perhaps. On both the Moroccan and the 24-year-old Turk, the police found a key, identical and with the same number. What could it possibly open? The story doesn't say. But to find out, the presiding judge Alix Fredon requested additional information. In the same way that she requested that their mobile phones and bank accounts be accessed.

Following the requisitions of the deputy public prosecutor Laurent Fekkar, she ordered the detention of the three defendants and postponed the trial as of February 24, 2025. As for the four victims, they were placed in the children's home.

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