Moroccan Duo Faces Trial for 120kg Cannabis Smuggling in France

The two Moroccans were transporting the drugs hidden in a watertight compartment floating in the tank of their vehicle. At the Monday hearing where they appeared, Léa Lardy, the new deputy prosecutor, requested four years in prison against them, reports La Dépêche.

Arrested on September 20 and placed in pre-trial detention, the two Moroccans denied having knowledge of the drugs found in their vehicle. But the younger of the two, living in Tangier, changed his version at the hearing. "My mother is sick, I needed money, I was promised 3,000 euros for this trip. I accepted, I regret, I’m sorry. I don’t want to send an innocent to prison," he confessed.

The second defendant, aged 48 and father of four children, one of whom is said to be a policeman in Morocco, denied his involvement in this trafficking. He says he accepted a mission to deliver fruits and vegetables to Spain. The two defendants claim that the drugs were placed in the tank in Andalusia. A version rejected by the prosecution. "This gentleman [...] is lying... During the journey, the tractor of the road train is changed several times and he never questions himself," reacted Léa Lardy.

At the end of the hearing, Judge Émeline Garde and her assessors decided to acquit the older of the two defendants. The young man, who "assumed" his participation, was found guilty and sentenced to two years in prison. He is in detention at the Druelle remand prison and wishes to serve his sentence in Morocco as soon as possible.