On Wednesday, July 19, 2023, while conducting a traffic control operation on the A6 motorway, officers from the Chalon-sur-Saône customs surveillance unit inspected a refrigerated truck registered in Spain at the Saint-Ambreuil rest area. Inside, they discovered a major haul: over 100 kg of cannabis hidden in place of the refrigeration unit.Summary of events: On Wednesday, July 19, 2023, while conducting a traffic control operation on the A6 motorway, officers from the Chalon-sur-Saône customs surveillance unit, under the direction of the Dijon Regional Customs Directorate, inspected a refrigerated truck registered in Spain at the Saint-Ambreuil rest area. Inside the truck, law enforcement officers struck gold: over 100 kilos of marijuana hidden in place of the refrigeration unit. This impressive quantity of drugs was concealed in pre-packaged bags. This information was made public yesterday, Wednesday, July 26, 2023. The instincts of the customs officers from Soane-et-Loire finally paid off. Agents belonging to this highly experienced French customs brigade had selected a truck on Wednesday, July 19, which they then pulled over for inspection at the Saint-Ambreuil rest area on the A6 motorway. The driver of this vehicle, a Romanian national, presented them with a transport document for timber coming from Germany and destined for Spain. In a press release, customs explained that: “The refrigeration unit’s engine was off and the driver explained that he was making the outward journey empty, which aroused the suspicions of customs officers who decided to conduct a more thorough inspection.” Upon opening the refrigerated semi-trailer, customs officers in Chalon-sur-Saône made a surprising discovery! They recognized the smell of cannabis and noticed that the space usually occupied by the refrigeration unit, behind a protective grille, appeared empty. This observation prompted them to carry out some very careful procedures. They then discovered 90 heat-sealed bags containing cannabis, for a total weight of 101.19 kg, with an estimated street value of €177,082.50. A repeat offender, the culprit was brought before the public prosecutor and scheduled for an immediate appearance hearing on August 21. Combating drug trafficking is one of the top priorities of French customs. In 2022 alone, French customs seized around 66.25 tons of cannabis across France! Of this vast quantity of narcotics, nearly 2.7 tons of cannabis were seized by the Dijon Regional Customs Directorate alone. This represents a major blow to drug traffickers.
Despite these record seizures, drug trafficking continues unabated in France. The real reason for this illegal business: the lure of profit. Source:
https://www.francebleu.fr/infos/faits-divers-justice/saone-et-loire-plus-de-100-kg-d-herbe-de-cannabis-saisis-sur-l-autoroute-a6-6226192
