Jean Castex – Jacques Witt / SIPA
By launching Act II of its anti-narcotics plan this Friday, the government intends to have the “last word” against traffickers. On the program, a simplification of the flat-rate fine and greater involvement of the intelligence services.
“We must fight relentlessly,” said Prime Minister Jean Castex during a trip early in the morning to Saint-Denis (Seine-Saint-Denis). He visited a police station there before going to meet police officers on the ground in two towns in the city known to be under the influence of drug trafficking.
A fine of 200 euros for drug users
“It should be us (…) who have the last word”, added the head of government. “It’s a disturbing job, which can provoke violent reactions, but we are there to disturb those who disturb others, to show that the republican law applies everywhere in France”. This second part of the “anti-stoppage” plan, which completes the 55 measures unveiled in September 2019 by the then Minister of the Interior, Christophe Castaner, must be presented during an interministerial committee against narcotics scheduled for the end. morning in Matignon.
This meeting, chaired by Jean Castex, will bring together the ministers Gérald Darmanin (Interior), Eric Dupond-Moretti (Justice), Bruno Le Maire (Economy), Jean-Michel Blanquer (Education), Olivier Dussopt (Public Accounts), Clément Beaune ( European Affairs) and Secretary of State Sarah El Haïry (Youth). In detail, the executive intends to make “more simple and effective” the fixed tort fine (AFD) of 200 euros for drug users, Emmanuel Macron’s campaign promise which entered into force throughout the country in September 2020.
An action on social networks
Practices will be “harmonized” across the country, in particular on the type of drug targeted and an “even more effective” recovery mechanism will be put in place, according to the document, which does not provide more details. Coordination will also be strengthened with “greater involvement of the intelligence services at the central level within OFAST”, the anti-narcotics office, as well as at the territorial level. A new anti-narcotics file (FAST) “more decompartmentalised and integrating the objectives monitored in intelligence” will also be put in place.
Action on social networks is also planned concerning the fight against trafficking and the processing of data from automatic license plate reading devices will be centralized. According to the latest official data, up “taking into account the modification of health constraints”, 3,153 traffics were observed during the first quarter of 2021 against 2,706 over the same period last year. The number of traffickers involved is also increasing over the same period (3,559 against 3,161 in 2020, or + 12.6%).