Rennes public prosecutor Philippe Astruc, here in his office in March 2020. -

C. Allain / 20 Minutes

The exercise is quite new for a prosecutor.

At the invitation of the mayor of Rennes, Philippe Astruc came this Monday at the end of the day to debate with elected officials of the city council while the Breton capital has been facing an outbreak of violence against a background of drug trafficking for several months.

Before the assembly, the public prosecutor of Rennes thus announced the "very significant increase" in settling accounts with two in 2018, four in 2019 and ten in 2020.

A degree of violence was further crossed ten days ago with a shootout in the Cleunay district which claimed the life of a 23-year-old Chechen boy.

This increase in violence is explained, according to him, by the new generation of traffickers "who have a much more uninhibited relationship than the previous one to the use of weapons".

"It is something which is not reassuring but it is a reality and we cannot hide behind our little finger", he added, referring in particular to the discovery of a stash of weapons of war in an apartment in November, "which is quite unusual for Rennes".

Drug seizures on the rise

Faced with this situation, the police do not sit idly by.

The prosecutor thus recalled that drug seizures had jumped in Rennes.

“From 48 kilos of cannabis in 2019, we have grown to 94 kilos in 2020,” he said.

The seizures of cocaine jumped by 120% and those of heroin by 880% ”.

Questioned by elected officials after having drawn up an inventory of drug trafficking in the Breton capital, the prosecutor also pleaded for "a densification of video protection, especially in the city center".

"This will not eradicate trafficking but it is a valuable tool in investigative work," he said.

Miscellaneous

A judicial investigation opened after the brawl on the town hall square in Rennes

Miscellaneous

Four young people imprisoned after an anti-narcotics strike in the Villejean district in Rennes

  • Attorney

  • Violence

  • Drug traffic

  • Miscellaneous

  • Drug

  • Reindeer

  • Amazing

  • Shooting