Truck driver faces drug trafficking charges

A 30-year-old truck driver was tried in the correctional court of Nîmes last week for drug trafficking. The defendant was involved in an incident on the A9 motorway near the commune of Vergèze on October 25 when his vehicle caught fire.

Vehicle fire leads to discovery of drugs

Firefighters responding to the fire found that the occupants had disappeared and that the vehicle was destroyed by flames. Inside the cabin, they discovered an unusual load: cigarette cartridges, perfumes, and 150 kilograms of cannabis resin that was burning.

Emergency calls connect incidents

At the same time, a resident of Brussels who was on the Montélimard rest area contacted emergency services multiple times, stating that his van was on fire on the A9. A connection was made, and law enforcement investigated, eventually placing the driver under custody.

Driver claims ignorance of cargo

During the hearing at the Nîmes correctional court, the accused stated that he was not aware of the cargo. He explained that he had taken charge of the vehicle in Sète and was supposed to drive it towards Lyon and then to Belgium.

Driver believed he was transporting olive oil

He provided the names of the people who had ordered the drug transport and claimed he believed he was transporting olive oil. He indicated that he was paid 500 euros for the trip, plus 1,000 euros for expenses.

Court questions credibility of defendant’s claim

"It is surprising that 150 kilograms of resin would be entrusted to someone who knows nothing about the cargo," questioned the court president. A defendant unknown to the justice system, who was acquitted due to reasonable doubt, left freely from the Nîmes Justice Palace.