On 16 October 2024, a resident of rue Keramis in La Louviere went to the police station.[1] In his building, visitors came at all hours of the day and night, and he told police he suspected cannabis trafficking.[1] He reported that the supplier moved around on an electric scooter.[1] Police searches confirmed his suspicions, and four men were sent to the correctional court in Mons.[1] Only two of the four appeared at the hearing.[1]
The first defendant admitted holding and selling cannabis.[1] To deliver to his clients, he rode through the streets of La Louviere on a scooter.[1] He already had eight convictions since 2013, including an 18-month prison term in 2022.[1] He also owed 120 hours of community service, of which he had completed only 50.[1] He told the court he no longer uses anything, works self-employed in construction, and spends his days working, preparing quotes and walking his dog.[1] The second defendant, from Trivieres, admitted laundering 500 euros from drug trafficking.[1] He knew exactly where the money came from.[1]
The prosecutor requested four years in prison for the scooter dealer, plus confiscation of his vehicle.[1] Four and three years of firm prison were requested against the two absent defendants.[1] For the defendant prosecuted for money laundering, the prosecution favoured a work penalty.[1] The defence said his cannabis use had been heavy at the time, that he had since changed his life to set a good example for his son, and that he respects his conditions and attends every meeting with his probation officer.[1] The court will give its judgment in early December.[1]
