Drug trafficking and shooting in Alès: twelve defendants in court for an extraordinary trial

Supported by the GIGN, investigators searched several vehicles. Midi Libre – F. A.

A week of debates begins this Monday, January 6, exceptionally in the courtroom, in Nîmes, for a major trial concerning a network dismantled in Alès.

There are twelve defendants charged with drug trafficking to appear in what can be called the trial of the year of the Alès jurisdiction.

As the Alès criminal courtroom is not sized for this type of hearing, the debates are organized in the assize courtroom, in Nîmes, from Monday, January 6 until Tuesday, January 14. Seven of the defendants are in pretrial detention, or imprisoned in connection with other cases.

Drug and vehicle seizures estimated at €200,000

Nature abhors a vacuum. As soon as a team of drug traffickers is arrested, another takes over. In January 2022, the network of traffickers at the Le Sagittaire bar in Rochebelle was dismantled.

About fifteen weapons, €16,000 in cash, and 9 kg of drugs, worth €200,000 were found by investigators. Five people, including the heads of the network, Pascal Deidda, 55, and his son Antony Bordonali, 32, were sentenced to prison terms of seven years to nine months.

 

The GIGN has made several arrests. Midi Libre – F. A.

The four ex-partners, tried in early December 2024 on the sidelines of this case for failure to provide proof of income, are awaiting the decision of the Alès criminal court.

Once the Sagittarius team is incarcerated, the former lieutenants become the managers of the drug dealing point. With the weapons and several kilos of heroin that the police did not seize during the previous raid, drug sales activities resume… under pressure from wholesalers who demand quick sales in order to recover the €35,000 worth of merchandise delivered.

The emergence of this new network is taking place against the backdrop of an endemic turf war with another team from Rochebelle, located behind the church, as well as with a competing network in the Prés Saint-Jean district.

A shooting in Saint-Ambroix, the starting point of the affair

On May 4, 2022, in Saint-Ambroix, Adel L., in charge of guarding “merchandise” for Djibril A. known as “Bibiche”, and his father, Mohamed A., shoots through the door of his apartment and into the street at two individuals who came to rob him.

The police found in the apartment cases of ammunition for a Kalashnikov and an 11.43 caliber automatic pistol as well as packaging bags for the drug, a bulletproof vest, a balaclava, various ammunition. All these objects were subject to DNA analysis.

The wiretaps that followed made it possible to identify various protagonists of a large-scale network with customers, sellers or “charbonneurs”, but also the nanny and the sponsors.

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A settling of scores with weapons of war

On May 30, 2023, a raid with the GIGN gendarmes led to the arrest of a first wave of suspects. Coincidentally, it was on that same day that “Bibiche” was sentenced to 6 and a half years in prison for knocking down a police officer during a routine traffic stop in Rochebelle. Incarcerated in the Nîmes remand center, the man nevertheless continued to manage the drug dealing point on the streets of Gardette and Ermitage. He set the prices, inquired about the quality of the merchandise, the reputation of the point of sale, and gave the instructions and objectives to be achieved by the sellers. The man is claiming a daily turnover of at least €1,600.

The Alès research brigade in charge of the investigation. Midi Libre – F. A.

In a cellar and an apartment in a building on Rue Edmond Rostand, in Prés Saint-Jean, the police seized a Kalashnikov, three 9 mm automatic pistols, two revolvers, ammunition, an electronic scale, 108 g of cocaine, 710 g of heroin and €20,000 in cash. DNA taken from the weapons identified Morad B., considered by investigators to be the main suspect. Wanted, the man surrendered on June 28.

The alleged nanny of the network, Mounir F., tried to escape the GIGN by jumping from the window of her apartment with bags containing 2.6 kg of heroin, 60 g of cocaine and 250 g of cannabis.

On September 26, a second raid dealt the fatal blow to an already weakened network. In this case, vehicles, cash and 3.5 kg of heroin were seized. All for a value of around €200,000.

Defendants with a heavy criminal past

Since Monday, twelve alleged drug traffickers from the Rochebbelle district have appeared before the Alès criminal court, relocated in the courtroom of the Assize Court of Nîmes.

Most of them have significant criminal records.

The main accused, Morad B., denies his involvement in any drug trafficking. The investigators attribute to him the role of the principal and the wholesaler. His criminal record includes seven mentions.

His right-hand man, Taieb B. 18 mentions including five for drugs and one for possession of a weapon.

Four mentions for Djibril A., manager of the drug dealing point from his cell.

His father, Mohamed A., was convicted five times for drug-related cases. His record contains 17 mentions. When he was arrested, he was in possession of an assault rifle and 2.5 kg of drugs.

Samvel M. co-manager of the drug dealing point, a note on his record.

Adel L. with a clean record is implicated in the Saint-Ambroix shooting, the co-management of the network, the keeping of the accounts and the packaging of the narcotics.

Mounir F. alleged nanny, three convictions.

The sellers or “charbonneurs”: Yannick C., 11 mentions, Yanis N., two mentions, Samuel J., 16 mentions, Ouefie B., 20 mentions including six convictions for drugs.

Lilia B., partner of the main defendant is prosecuted for failure to justify resources.

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