French Ex-police On Trial For Shaking Down Marseille Drug Dealers
Sumaira FH Published April 12, 2021 | 05:19 PM
Former police officers accused of stealing drugs, cash and cigarettes from criminals in the Marseille underworld went on trial Monday, with a prosecutor calling the alleged corruption a "cancer"
Marseille, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Apr, 2021 ) :Former police officers accused of stealing drugs, cash and cigarettes from criminals in the Marseille underworld went on trial Monday, with a prosecutor calling the alleged corruption a "cancer".
All but two of the 18 accused, aged between 37 and 60, were present at the trial's opening when their lawyers predicted that the case against them would collapse quickly.
Prosecutors say the 18 engaged in shake-downs of drug dealers and resellers of smuggled cigarettes, taking cannabis, money and cartons of cigarettes.
Bringing the case in 2012, prosecutor Jacques Dallest said the officers "helped themselves to a share" of drug profits and that their unit, the BAC Nord, had been affected by the "cancer" of corruption.
The accusation's case relies primarily on wiretaps, with one officer recorded as saying: "We now have a good little group going that knows how to stay silent. What is said in the car stays in the car." The recordings suggest that the officers often took thousands of Euros (Dollars) in return for letting a suspect go free.
"Give us two bars (of cannabis) and we'll leave you alone," one said.
The officers have dismissed the recorded remarks, saying they had been "joking".
The case features a witness for the prosecution, Karim Menacer, who accuses BAC Nord policemen of stealing from him.
Police found cocaine, cannabis and cash in banknotes with small denominations on Menacer when they stopped his car in August 2012.
Menacer says they then took 9,000 euros ($10,700) of the 36,000 euros he had in his car.
He was not present or represented by a lawyer, but the presiding judge read out a letter in which he claimed that he obtained the money by legal means.
Virgile Reynaud, a lawyer for three of the four officers accused of stealing from Menacer, denied that any theft had happened.
"Mr Menacer didn't find the courage to show up in court. There's nothing more to be said," the lawyer said.
"The gangrene has turned into a hay fever," said Alain Lhote, a lawyer for one of the accused, saying that between 67 and 70 percent of the wiretaps brought by the prosecution were inaudible.
Some of the accused admitted to occasional wrongdoing, with one admitting to keeping 540 euros "left behind" by a drug dealer.
Others said they passed confiscated cigarettes on to homeless people, or used the money they took to pay off confidential informants.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
ICC Womens T20 World Cup Qualifier, Match 2: Ireland Women open with Comfortable ..
Robinson, bowlers help New Zealand go 2-1 up against Pakistan
Shahzeb Chachar to hold khuli kachehri on April 26
Heatwave amid Israel's aggression in Gaza brings new misery, disease risk
Tourism must change, mayor says as Venice launches entry fee
Court adjourns Judicial Complex attack case till May 17
Nasreen Noori’s book ‘Popatan Jahra Khwab’ launched
Wafaqi Mohtasib inspection team visits Excise and taxation office
AJLAC announces 5th Conference titled ‘People’s Mandate: Safeguarding Civil ..
Pak-US officials engage to enhance trade, investment ties
IBCC to promote educational excellence, expand regional presence
Pakistani 'Blue Helmets' serving UN Peacekeeping Mission in DR Congo set to leav ..
More Stories From World
-
Slot 'confident' of Liverpool job as 'negotiations' take place
5 hours ago -
Google parent Alphabet's Q1 profits beat estimates: company
5 hours ago -
WADA asks 'independent prosecutor' to examine Chinese swimmers case
6 hours ago -
New York court overturns Harvey Weinstein sex crime conviction
6 hours ago -
Bagnaia and Spanish rivals chase victory at Jerez
7 hours ago -
Russian, Ukrainian strikes kill at least 10 in frontline regions
7 hours ago
-
Heatwave amid Israel's aggression in Gaza brings new misery, disease risk
8 hours ago -
Tourism must change, mayor says as Venice launches entry fee
8 hours ago -
Pakistani 'Blue Helmets' serving UN Peacekeeping Mission in DR Congo set to leave after 20 years of ..
8 hours ago -
Putin says plans to visit China in May
8 hours ago -
US reinstates open internet rules rescinded under Trump
8 hours ago -
Honda announces US$11 bn EV battery and vehicle plant in Canada
9 hours ago