The Criminal Court in Paris sentenced on Saturday six Algerians to imprisonment from one year to six years for luring unaccompanied Moroccan minors to drug addiction and pushing them to commit theft.
Taking into account the requests of the public prosecutor, the court deemed these acts “particularly serious” given the “physical and psychological harm caused to the Moroccan minors.”
The verdict also imposed a permanent ban on five of the convicted individuals from entering French territory, with some of them ordered to depart before the trial.
The six convicted adults for human and drug trafficking were ordered to collectively pay an amount of 20 thousand euros in compensation for twelve minors who claimed damages.
The six Algerians were convicted of supplying drugs to the Moroccan victims between 2021 and 2022 and compelling them to commit thefts against tourists in exchange for mind-altering substances.
The court stated that there was no evidence to prove the existence of a “hierarchical and organized” network. Still, it confirmed that the investigation revealed “a horizontal operating system for the gang.”
The presiding judge explained that human trafficking involved exploiting the physical, psychological, and social vulnerabilities of unaccompanied minors who had placed their trust in these Arabic-speaking adults under the pretext of “being close to their community.”
The presiding judge indicated that the “modus operandi” counted on “enslaving the minors” and turning them into “tools.”
A seventh person was sentenced to one year in prison and fined €5,000 for narcotics trafficking without human trafficking.
