Police stopped a vehicle crossing the French-Spanish border which was carrying 603 kilos of cannabis as well as €38,000 in cash. They arrested the driver and another man they believed to be one of the organisers of a wider drug trafficking network.
ADVERTISEMENTTwo men have been arrested for “trafficking and importing narcotics” at the border between France and Spain after authorities seized a total of 603 kilos of cannabis.
The substance was found inside a vehicle attempting to cross the border, according to the public prosecutor’s office of the French city of Toulouse. In addition to the illegal cargo of cannabis, the vehicle was carrying €38,000 in cash.
In France, cannabis is illegal for personal use, although it remains one of the most widely used drugs consumed in the country. A new law that came into effect in 2020 reduced the punishment for the crime of cannabis possession when in volumes of less than 50 grams - meaning that people can now pay a fine and avoid jail time.
One of the two men arrested was the driver of the vehicle stopped during the police check, while the other was apprehended shortly after in the city of Toulouse.
He is suspected of being “one of the main organisers” of a drug trafficking network which local police said they have been investigating for around six months.
“Little by little, we're getting to understand how the network works and we took advantage of this last convoy to intercept it,” said a source from the Toulouse police force.