Judicial court updates its main projects

The judicial court of Alès recently provided an update on its key projects, with President Simon Lanes and the prosecutor of the Republic, Abdelkrim Grini, discussing the current developments and challenges facing the jurisdiction. The meeting focused on the rising levels of criminal activity, particularly drug trafficking, which has become more pronounced in the Alès area.

Increase in criminal activity

A significant increase in criminal activity has been reported, especially in the area of drug trafficking. This rise is attributed to the arrival of traffickers from outside the Alès area, following the dismantling of local organizations in neighborhoods such as the Cévennes and Prés-Saint-Jean. According to Grini, this shift has led to a change in the pattern of criminal behavior since the summer of 2025, with the recruitment of young people from across France, sometimes through social networks, to support these operations.

Rising drug-related procedures

For the first ten months of 2025, 285 procedures related to violations of narcotics legislation were recorded in the police zone, including 16 classified as drug trafficking. By the same period in 2026, this number had increased to 370 procedures, with 107 classified as drug trafficking. Drug seizures have also risen significantly, with 11 kg of cocaine and 28 kg of cannabis resin seized in 2026, compared to 2.5 kg of cocaine and 6 kg of cannabis resin in 2025.

Control operations and stricter policies

To address the situation, the prosecutor's office has carried out repeated control operations on drug deal points, known as "pilonnage," with the aim of increasing arrests and disrupting the networks. Grini emphasized the need for a stricter penal policy towards certain consumers, who can now be placed in custody and brought before the prosecutor. He noted that the first victims of drug trafficking are the people living in the neighborhoods, with six people killed in incidents related to drug trafficking since the summer of 2025, along with more than a dozen attempts.

Criminality trends and court workload

Despite the increase in drug-related violence, judicial officials indicated that overall criminality is decreasing. They described a situation with particularly worrying phenomena but not one of generalized insecurity in Alès. The number of criminal procedures handled by the jurisdiction has also increased significantly, with the Alès prosecutor's office exceeding 12,000 criminal procedures per year and expecting a new increase in 2026.

Efforts to reduce trial delays

Despite the increased workload, the jurisdiction has managed to reduce trial delays. Summoning delays before the court have decreased from more than two years to about three or four months for collegial formations and from more than 18 months to four months before a single judge. This improvement is attributed to the reorganization of proceedings and the mobilization of judges, clerks, and assistant lawyers.

Handling of the Lyhanna case

The judicial officials also reviewed the judicial consequences of the Lyhanna case, which led to the re-examination of nearly 300 procedures. According to Simon Lanes, the vast majority of these cases have been handled, with about 85 to 90 procedures remaining ongoing. These cases require further investigations, hearings, or expert opinions, with priority given to those involving presumed danger.

Creation of a juvenile court

The creation of a juvenile court is another major project for the jurisdiction, announced during the visit of the Minister of Justice to Alès in August. The project aims to allow the local handling of cases concerning minors and is expected to enter into force in September 2027, pending the publication of the necessary decree and the arrival of the staff.

Judicial film festival and criminal trial

The judicial court is also preparing the second edition of the judicial film festival, scheduled from November 18 to 21. The event will include free screenings aimed at high school students and open sessions for the general public in the evening, followed by exchanges with professionals from the judicial world. Additionally, the court announced that a first criminal trial should take place in Alès on November 9, testing the jurisdiction's ability to host such trials in its premises.