Street vendors selling cigarettes abound at Garges-Sarcelles station.
It's hard not to be approached by one of them on the forecourt.
But their activity may have just suffered a brake.
The Sarcelles police officers arrested one of their suppliers.
Investigators seized a considerable stock of cartons of cigarettes belonging to a semi-wholesaler, who was sentenced to six months in prison and a fine of 96,000 euros, the value of the goods seized.
In addition, he was notified of an obligation to leave French territory.
An arrest in full delivery
The investigation by the Sarcelles police officers finds its origin in information obtained by a dedicated public road crew, in the Republican reconquest district (QRR) of Garges-Sarcelles, relating to contraband cigarettes.
This information related to a supplier of cartridges of cigarettes and an apartment in Garges, which he used as a storage place.
See also Ile-de-France: cigarette trafficking worth several million euros dismantled
A monitoring system was then set up with investigators specializing in the fight against cigarette trafficking from the Sarcelles underground economy unit.
On May 21, the individual was arrested when he had just delivered a first customer and found himself in possession of 23 cartons of cigarettes ready to be delivered again to resellers at the Garges-Sarcelles station.
The man is immediately taken into custody.
There are many street vendors selling cigarettes at the Garges-Sarcelles RER station.
LP / Fr.N.
The search of the home of the suspect, originally from Bangladesh, led to the seizure of 939 cartons of counterfeit cigarettes of various brands.
Investigators also seize the sum of 300 euros and two account books.
The damage was estimated at 96,200 euros.
The number of clients estimated at 150 by the police
Heard in the context of his police custody, the defendant, unknown to the judicial services, admitted to being the supplier of several dealers operating at the Garges-Sarcelles station.
The use of his two mobile phones established that his activity was regular and sustained.
The police estimate the number of his clients at around 150.
The suspect also explained that he himself had two regular suppliers, of Afghan origin, whose identities he did not know, however.
At the end of his prolonged police custody, the defendant was brought before justice and sentenced by the court.
The Sarcelles police officers opened another procedure relating to the suspect's suppliers, in order to identify them.
