Le Figaro Nice
The prefect of Alpes-Maritimes does not relax his efforts in the fight against delinquency, and more particularly against drug trafficking, district of Moulins, in Nice. Bernard Gonzalez, who recently feared a "drift to the Marseillaise", leads a policy of "harassment" of traffickers, following the roadmap in this area of the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin. And for good reason, since the beginning of the year, incidents have multiplied at Les Moulins, shootings in particular.
Events that exasperated residents as much as most local political figures, Christian Estrosi and Eric Ciotti in the lead. For the deputy of the 1st constituency of Alpes-Maritimes and president of the Republicans, it would have a direct link between delinquency and illegal immigration. "There is in drug networks today, the use of foreign minors. I have noticed this for a few weeks in my city. These are channels of exploitation of human beings. Minors are often recovered in Italy, at the border, and serve as lookouts for traffickers in the neighborhoods. It is a low-cost workforce," he said Sunday night on BFM TV. A speech already held a few weeks earlier by the first deputy mayor of Nice, Anthony Borré. In Le Figaro, he assured as early as April 4 that illegal immigrants represent "60% of arrests" at Les Moulins.
In a statement sent Sunday to the press, the representative of the State in the department ensures that "the activity of the internal security forces remains sustained" and that "security operations are multiplying". In mid-April, the prefect decided to set up a weekly working meeting devoted specifically to the fight against delinquency in this sensitive district of western Nice, formerly of republican reconquest. Charged with 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 to which the public prosecutor is also invited - must also make it possible to decide on "the permanent adaptation of resources" and the development of "structured actions to combat drug networks", according to the prefecture.
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We focus on these figures, but it is difficult to make an analysis without comparison with the statistics of previous months and years.
A source at the Nice prosecutor's office
Thus, from 10 April (date of the first meeting) to 18 May, 182 people were arrested at Les Moulins, including 69 minors. 31 were presented to the public prosecutor and 12 imprisoned. At the same time, just under 17 kilos of cannabis were seized as well as 1.5 kilos of cocaine and 34,755 euros in cash. "We focus on these figures, but it is difficult to make an analysis without comparison with the statistics of the months and previous years, notes a source at the Nice prosecutor's office. Of course, more police presence leads to more arrests and presentations to the prosecutor's office. However, the reason for pre-trial detention should be analysed. It is not the same to keep someone in a cell for 24 hours before an immediate appearance as in the context of the opening of a judicial investigation for criminal acts."
Since May 8, drones have been equipping the patrols of the national police in Les Moulins. As a tool of deterrence and surveillance, they are an additional weapon in the war waged against traffickers. In addition to the aerial tool, new "distant" cameras will soon be installed in the neighborhood. These cameras will have sufficient zoom power to film offenders undetected.
