280,000 € seized: the incredible loot hidden under the bed of two hairdressers in Occitanie

The dismantling of this network was carried out by the police of the Office for the Fight against the Illicit Trafficking of Migrants (OLTIM). Taoufik C., 49, and his brother Achraf, 36, were arrested at the end of March 2026 before being placed in pre-trial detention. The authorities suspect them of being at the head of a system of recruiting foreign nationals in an irregular situation, undeclared and sometimes without any professional qualifications to practice hairdressing.

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Active for about fifteen years in Occitanie, the two brothers had multiplied the openings of "barber shops" in Albi, Castres and Pamiers. According to La Dépêche du Midi, the investigation follows checks carried out last year by the anti-fraud committees. The commercial expansion even extended beyond the fraternal circle, with establishments managed by relatives in Revel and Castelnaudary.

On the ground, the situation sometimes appeared in broad daylight through the reviews of dissatisfied customers. While the know-how of the managers was sometimes recognized, that of their employees received scathing criticism. Customers denounced "deplorable" services performed by very young hairdressers with poor French skills and lacking in technique. A resident of Pamiers even described one of the salons as a real "den of undocumented immigrants".

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The searches carried out by sixteen investigators revealed the extent of the profits generated by this illicit activity. More than 185,000 euros in cash were found in safes, suitcases and even hidden under a bed. In total, nearly 280,000 euros were seized, including funds blocked in bank accounts. The two suspects, who remain presumed innocent, must now answer for this vast labor trafficking before an investigating judge.