“To live, to go out, to buy clothes”: two young Cévenols get into drugs and sell 5 kg of shit in a month

Les deux jeunes Cévenols ont été amenés à s'expliquer au palais de justice d'Alès. MIDI LIBRE – CHARLES LEDUC

Deux jeunes majeurs, âgés de 18 et 19 ans, ont été jugés à Alès, dans le Gard, ce jeudi 2 janvier, après leur interpellation sur un point de deal d’Anduze.

The first is a 19-year-old from Alès, the second an 18-year-old from Cendras. A month ago, both of them got involved in drug trafficking. “To live, to go out, to buy clothes…”, these young people with supportive family backgrounds say, all sheepish, when they are in the dock of the Alès criminal court, in the Gard, this Thursday, January 2, while they are judged free in immediate appearance.

They are arrested by the Psig soldiers

Because their business ended on the afternoon of December 29, when soldiers from the gendarmerie surveillance and intervention platoon (PSIG) noticed their activities on Rue Basse in Anduze, known to be a drug dealing point. In their car, the police seized €610 and five bars of cannabis resin weighing a total of 500g.

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“It was worth the drugs ? To show off!”

But as they were taken into custody, studied the mobile phone of one of them and confessed after claiming to only transport drugs between Anduze and the Cévennes district of Alès, for a modest sum, it appeared that these young people were running their business smoothly. In total, they allegedly sold five kilos of hashish and 25 to 30g of cocaine to 15 or 20 “customers”. “We regret everything, really”, said the Alésien, head down. “The police custody shocked me. I'll never do it again.” Both admit to having pocketed, each, €2,000 in one month. “It's not bad. It's easy money”, Mathilde Pagès, the president of the hearing, scolds them with a hint of sarcasm. “The drugs were worth it ? To show off!” As evidenced, in fact, by photos discovered on the smartphone. She continues: “You have a choice today: continue with drugs and the sentences are very high at the moment, or stop immediately.” The two young people appear contrite…

“The truth is that you were proud to be dealers”

Deputy public prosecutor Quentin Larroque is not laughing at all: “The truth is that you were proud to be dealers […] Be honest!” The defendants say they regret it. “You especially regret having been in police custody…” , the prosecutor tackles them, who requests a detention order even though they are very little known to the courts, accompanied by three years in prison, including six months with probationary suspension, and a fine of €5,000.

An “excessive and disproportionate” indictment

“The prosecution does not require fairness, but a conviction as an example”, argues Me Olivia Betoe, who considers the indictment “excessive and disproportionate”. The defense counsel assures that his clients “were not aware of the seriousness of such acts” and that in police custody, “they received an electroshock”.

An electronic bracelet for these two young people

The court ultimately prefers, for these young people, the electronic bracelet rather than dry incarceration. They are sentenced to three years of detention, arranged ab initio therefore, two of which are suspended probation. The Alésien must pay a fine of €6,000; it amounts to €4,000 for the Cendrasien, less unfavorably known to justice.

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