Drug office head and assistant in Marseille under scrutiny for vanishing 400 kg of cocaine.
Scandal Shakes French Anti-Drug Services: Ofast Heads Under Investigation
In a shocking turn of events, the head and deputy of the Anti-Stupefacient Office (Ofast) in Marseille now face formal investigation, as confirmed by the Paris prosecutor's office and the national jurisdiction for organized crime (Junalco) on June 26. These arrests follow a revelatory report in Le Parisien.
This power duo has been accused of "complicity in public document forgery by a public authority depositary", "complicity in invasion of privacy by image and sound capture", and "breach of secrecy in an investigation into organized crime". They now operate under strict judicial control, restricted from performing police judicial functions, and prohibited from visiting all police stations within the Bouches-du-Rhône department and communicating with other individuals involved in the case.
Defiant, the head of Ofast's lawyer, Louis Cailliez, asserted that she "vigorously contests any criminal offense on her part and will defend her honor and integrity despite attempts to instrumentalize this case". Meanwhile, Vanessa Bousardo, the deputy's lawyer, made a statement via AFP, expressing their satisfaction that a commissioner central to the drug trafficking case has been cleared.
The "Disappearing" Cocaine
In April, two Ofast investigators from Marseille were already placed under formal investigation and incarcerated for organized drug trafficking, money laundering, or criminal association. Simultaneously, in June, another police officer was also placed under formal investigation and subjected to judicial control, according to France 3 Paca.
As the Junalco investigation unfolds, the public prosecutor unveiled potential "exchanges between police and other individuals concerning the transfer of at least 360 kg of cocaine, outside of any hierarchical control, and the concealment of the actual quantities entering the territory".
The initial investigations, which started in February 2023 with an anonymous tip about a cocaine shipment at the Marseille port, revealed that "this delivery allowed for the entry of nearly 400 kg of cocaine into the territory", according to the prosecutor. Interestingly, several actors in the case struggled with the seemingly effortless distribution of these drugs in Marseille, suggesting a hint of anticipated police surveillance.
Although French authorities are taking bold steps against drug trafficking, as showcased by their investigations into networks connected to major cartels, cases of corruption and misuse of law enforcement mechanisms do surface. For instance, an investigation into a former Interpol official suspected of corruption, organized fraud, use of forged documents, and influence peddling highlights vulnerabilities and scandals linked to law enforcement and international cooperation in France.
However, as of now, there is no concrete evidence available about a scandal involving the OFAST leadership under investigation for drug trafficking and document forgery. If such a scandal indeed emerges, it may be quite recent or yet to gain widespread attention in major sources.
In the midst of the ongoing Junalco investigation, questions of corruption and integrity within the French law enforcement community persist. The recent scandal involving the heads of the Anti-Stupefacient Office (Ofast) in Marseille, under investigation for complicity in public document forgery, invasion of privacy, and breach of secrecy in organized crime cases, raises concerns about the general-news landscape and the boundaries of politics and crime-and-justice.
Meanwhile, as French authorities continue their efforts to combat drug trafficking, allegations of "exchanges between police and other individuals concerning the transfer of at least 360 kg of cocaine" outside hierarchical control, could potentially hint at a broader systemic issue tainting the justice system's pursuit of justice in the fight against drug trafficking, further fueling the issues of crime-and-justice and general-news.
