Le Figaro Nice
A few detonations will have been enough for Bernard Gonzalez to put a new card on the table: drones.
If he already had it in his game, the news pushed him to draw without further delay.
Friday morning, shortly before 10 a.m., gunshots were heard in the sensitive Moulins district, west of Nice.
A territory undermined by drug trafficking and which has focused the attention of local authorities for several weeks.
Immediately, many police forces were sent to the scene.
In less than an hour, an individual was arrested.
"He is an adult known unfavorably to the police and the justice system, in particular for facts related to drug trafficking"
, indicates a police source.
In addition, an automatic handgun was found.
"There is a form of intimidation from dealers who consider themselves at home and who seek to make us understand that the police presence, just like the initiatives that are taken in the neighborhood, are not welcome"
, analyzes Bernard Gonzalez.
For the prefect, it would not be the result of chance if the shooting broke out when a job forum was held a few steps away.
An event organized by the ADAM association, with the support of the Nice Côte d'Azur Metropolis and State services.
We are obliged to constantly vary the device because the traffickers stick to our methods
Bernard Gonzalez, prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes
In response to this incident, which further tarnishes the image of a district that many - including local residents - qualify as a
"lawless zone"
, the representative of the State in the Alpes-Maritimes hastily organized an operation on-site security.
The opportunity to take stock of the means already deployed to fight against the gangrene of drugs and to present new ones.
That of the drones in this case, which must arrive in the hands of the Maralpine National Police next week.
“We are forced to constantly vary the device because the traffickers stick to our methods.
Today, we are operational.
Drones will now fly above the Mills, day and night, when necessary.
, announces Bernard Gonzalez, recalling that
“a real effort is being made in this district to dry up traffic.”
“The prefect has just announced the use of drones to secure the Moulins district. I am delighted that Gérald Darmanin has granted our request that we have been formulating for him for several months with Christian Estrosi”
, rejoiced on Twitter the first deputy mayor, Anthony Borré.
In addition to the aerial tool, new "distant" cameras will soon be installed at Les Moulins.
“We are waiting for an authorization which must arrive quickly”
, continues the prefect.
These cameras will have enough zoom power to film offenders without being spotted.
The prefect does not forget the other hot spots of the department, like the Bindweed district, east of Nice, or even 151 route de Turin, another territory parasitized by drugs.
"
We do not relax our efforts and we are constantly trying to surprise the dealers to bring them down
," he says.
Read alsoDrug trafficking: Darmanin will meet an LR deputy who wants to attack consumers
19 security operations between April 24 and May 1
Drug trafficking is a scourge that has been spreading exponentially to the Baie des Anges for several months.
Bernard Gonzalez himself recently feared a "Marseillaise drift".
In order to prove that he has tackled the problem head-on, the latter set up a weekly working meeting at the beginning of April devoted specifically to the fight against crime in the Moulins district and more particularly against drug trafficking.
In charge of taking stock of the actions carried out during the past week and examining the evolution of delinquency, this operational meeting in which the City of Nice and the national police participate and the public prosecutor's office is invited, also makes it possible to decide on the adaptation of material and human resources in the field as well as the development of structured actions against drug networks.
During the week of April 24 to May 1, 19 security operations were carried out at Les Moulins, for example, with some 563 people checked and 37 arrested, including 23 minors.
In the same interval, nearly a kilo of cannabis, 313 grams of cocaine and 4852 euros in cash were seized.
