Strasbourg, 1971. Five robbers carry out one of the biggest blows of the 20th century. In just four minutes, thieves disguised as electricians carry out the heist of the century at the Hôtel des Postes. Amount of the robbery: 11.68 million francs (nearly 7 million euros in 2019). Jo (the first name has been changed) is part of this environment. This great thug of the 1970s notably frequented the Trois Canards restaurant, known for bringing together the gratin of French banditry. Except that at the end of the 1990s, a new kind of competition appeared. The city bosses gain influence thanks to narcotics and organize themselves to win bigger than their elders. A new face is given to French organized crime.
Jo was considered as one of the godfathers, alongside the names of Jacky Imbert or Francis Le Belge. His specialty: bank robberies and slot machines. "Me, I have not done drug trafficking," he emphasizes. But at the end of the 1990s, the thugs of his generation got older and were decimated by the settling of scores. Not to mention the competition from the cities which does not help their affairs.
Young people have learned from their elders
Two options arise: stay alone or ally with this new generation. Jo, pragmatic, prefers "not to be eaten" and opts for the alliance, reluctantly. “It was better to come to terms with the devil than to end up in the cemetery,” he admits. “We provided the know-how, they provided the logistics. But it didn't always work. Proof of this is the example of Farid Berrahma, pioneer of neobanditism in the cities, whose attempt to reconcile with the Corsicans ended in a bloodbath in 2006. It is now difficult not to recognize that young people have learned of their elders to the point of erasing them for their benefit.
Jo was the client of the criminal lawyer Gerald Pandelon. The latter leaves "the France of the caïds" (Ed. Max Milo, 19.90 euros) , where he combines the stories of old-fashioned godfather like Jo with those of the big city thugs. "I have seen this erosion of classic banditry with the evolution of my clientele," he says. But if the bandits have changed, the methods remain the same.
Through the interviews narrated by the lawyer, we perceive a porosity with the political world: “The sponsors already had a very close link with certain senior officials,” says Gerald Pandelon. It's a win-win exchange: officials turn a blind eye to certain practices, and in exchange the thugs maintain social peace. "
"Thugs are stronger than politicians"
Policies that call on a henchman, local elected officials who sit down for a dinner with big thugs, godmother of a city that finds itself on a list in municipal elections, the author returns to the links between the two spheres . Until he argues that sometimes the big thugs are the politicians.
“I have already seen releases that seemed impossible to obtain,” he admits. The client said to me: Thank you master, you have done a good job. However, I am not fooled, I know very well that it is not my responsibility. "
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Discussing his “schizophrenic” position as a lawyer and citizen, Gérald Pandelon assures us that the business of French bandits is very long-lasting: “The various plans considered by the government do not hold water, he considers. Thugs are stronger than politicians because they are always one step ahead. "The lawyer draws up a pessimistic report and doubts a possible improvement:" I could only write 10% of what I know, imagine that it is much worse. "
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