The Rennes judicial police investigators have it bad. As part of a judicial investigation entrusted to an investigating judge, the police had been trying for several months to dismantle a deal point, in the Blosne district. By increasing surveillance, surveillance and telephone tapping, they managed to identify around fifteen suspects. A large dragnet was planned for Tuesday morning, at milkman time. For the occasion, no less than 160 police officers were mobilized, including personnel from the Raid and the BRI. But “the traffickers having clearly been informed of this operation, it had to be canceled” at the last moment, explains to 20 minutes the public prosecutor of Rennes, Philippe Astruc, who confirms the information published by the newspaper The world.
The scene which took place in the parking lot of the Castorama in Saint-Jacques-de-la-Lande (Ille-et-Vilaine) is indeed surreal. And quite unique. The police met around 6:30 a.m. to finalize the final details of their plan and prepare. They didn’t expect to see an Audi appear, driving in their direction. They then noticed that the passengers were filming them with their phones. Suddenly, the vehicle accelerated and fled. The police, who seized the message sent, tried to find it. But in vain.
An investigation opened by the prosecution
Very quickly, investigators were almost certain that information concerning this operation had leaked to the traffickers. They notably noticed that vehicles belonging to the suspects, and on which beacons had been installed, had gone to the same parking lot around 5:30 a.m., the time initially scheduled for the launch of hostilities. The occupants of these cars, who were not aware of the delay by the police, apparently also wanted to carry out checks.
“An investigation will be quickly entrusted by the Rennes public prosecutor’s office to the IGPN [la police des polices] in order to investigate the reasons for this unacceptable dysfunction and identify the possible perpetrators of a violation of the secrecy of the investigation,” continues the Rennes public prosecutor. The magistrate assures that “the failure of this operation in no way undermines our determination to fight against this trafficking which weighs heavily on the quality of life of local residents”.
“All PJ services know this can happen”
In the ranks of the PJ, many investigators believe that this failure is a consequence of the criticized reform of the national police. Since January 1, the police services of a department – intelligence, public security, border police (PAF) and judicial police – have been placed under the authority of a single chief.
“Colleagues are disgusted. This calls everything into question. Until then, our way of working was suitable and did not pose a problem. It allowed us to limit this kind of thing. The investigators knew how to remain discreet and were very careful in disseminating operational information. There were leaks to the press, but always after the arrests. Now all law enforcement agencies know that this can happen. This does not correspond to our way of doing things. There are still fifteen guys who must be laughing,” regrets a seasoned investigator. “We are going to have to review some of our operating methods,” adds another police source.
In the entourage of the Minister of the Interior, who carried out this controversial reform, we pretend not to see “the link” between this failure and the new organization of the police services. “Every week, big deals are made,” explains 20 minutes a ministerial source. It is true that Gérald Darmanin, launched into a frantic war against drug trafficking, has made a habit of communicating with each large-scale drug seizure. This time, you will have to come back later.