“They are capable of anything”: imprisoned for Go Fast between Spain and Montpellier and attempted murder of police officers

Le service interdépartemental de police judiciaire est chargé des trafics internationaux. Archive Midi Libre – SYLVIE CAMBON

Five people arrested, four imprisoned this weekend for international drug trafficking, but also attempted murder. One of the individuals doused two police officers with gasoline at the time of the arrest, in Montpellier, and asked an accomplice to set fire to them.

“We've never had this before… Drug traffickers are capable of anything, with uncontrollable and extremely dangerous behavior”, deplores a police officer from Hérault.

The five people arrested by the SIPJ (Interdepartmental Service of the Judicial Police) of Montpellier and the regional branch of the Ofast (Anti-Narcotics Office) on August 13, were indicted last weekend for drug trafficking between Spain and Occitanie.

But also for attempted murder of a person in authority after having wanted to "burn" two police officers by spraying them with gasoline&hellip Before an accomplice gives up on lighting the fire.

Between Spain and Occitania

This meticulous “five-month investigation against an international network between Spain and the South of France”, as the resigning Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin hailed on “X”, started last March. Following information, investigators are on the trail of members of "this mafia organization", again according to the Ministry of the Interior, suspected of supplying narcotics to Montpellier and its surroundings, and even a large part of Occitanie.

They operate according to the principle of Go Fast, these powerful cars that bring back drugs by driving as fast as possible: a first sedan serves as a lead car to alert in the event of a police check, the second transports the goods.

At least three trips were reportedly made in April and May with several dozen kilos of drugs.

“They don't hesitate to throw flammable liquid at the police”

The arrest operation, under a rogatory commission from an investigating judge, was therefore scheduled for Tuesday, August 13, when the two vehicles arrived in Montpellier. But when the car loaded with drugs was inspected, the driver tried to set fire to the passenger compartment, before spraying two officers with gasoline, then asking his partner and passenger to set it on fire… She did not comply.

“We must congratulate the work of the SIPJ and Ofast in the fight against international drug trafficking where traffickers do not hesitate to throw flammable liquid to attack the police”, greets the general controller Marjorie Ghizoli, interdepartmental director of the national police. She does not say more about this case covered by the secrecy of the investigation.

Cannabis, kilos of ecstasy and weapons

But according to our information, between the arrest and the searched homes, two kilos of ecstasy, 65 kg of cannabis resin and several weapons were seized. Four individuals in their thirties, some of whom were from Eastern European countries, were imprisoned, while the fifth person, the famous passenger, was placed under judicial supervision.

“Once again, it is the dangerous nature of our profession that emerges from this affair. We are exposed at all times, as soon as we arrest someone, the police officer puts his life in danger, every day, as in these arrests after several months of investigation”, reacts Bruno Bartoccetti, South zone delegate of the UN1TÉ union.

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