A man accused of being the coordinator of a drug trafficking network in the Grand-Est was heard by an examining magistrate in Thionville (Moselle) this Saturday.
The suspect was taken into custody at a facility in the region before his next court appearance.
He was arrested in Sardinia (Italy) after a European arrest warrant targeting him had been issued, says LCI.
This interpellation is the result of work started in August 2020 by the Metz Research Section and the Thionville Research Brigade.
The investigators sought to dismantle a well-established drug transport system between Belgium and the Moselle and then the resale of narcotics.
Three members of the network had been intercepted in October 2020 and June 2021.
Several arrests before that of the alleged leader
The gendarmes then seized 18 kg of cannabis and 31,000 euros in cash.
The leader, however, had not been arrested.
Investigations had shown that he was operating from abroad.
The man who would be at the head of the network was finally identified and located.
Aided by information from the military, the Italian police took charge of his arrest before handing him over to the French authorities.
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Lorraine
Metz
Italy