2023-11-21 04:18:31
Heavy truck drivers had developed a very lucrative ride. The Le Havre judicial court on Monday handed down sentences ranging from ten to 24 months in prison, including four to twelve months, against five men tried for having stolen 2.5 million euros worth of cosmetic products. Placed in pre-trial detention on October 25, a distribution-delivery manager and four heavy goods vehicle drivers from the Bolloré Logistics company, aged 34 to 38, domiciled in Seine-Maritime and Eure, admitted the facts.
From October 2022 to September 2023, the suspects drove their trucks from L’Oréal warehouses, located throughout France, and diverted upon their arrival in Le Havre the container marked as containing “sensitive products”. The containers were opened and unsealed in a city hangar, the goods stolen, new seal installed and the drivers took the road towards the port, to deliver the boxes intended to be shipped to the United States.
Hijacking a container brought in between 10 and 40,000 euros
In court, the defendants spoke of “the greed” and “easy money”. The president of the court Fabrice Legras recalled that their monthly income was around 4,000 euros. Hijacking a container could earn them between 10,000 and 40,000 euros. The money they earned was used to purchase a Porsche Cayenne and a Range Rover, while another renovated his house.
According to cross-checks by the gendarmes of the Rouen research section, a total of 161 pallets of cosmetic and perfume products were stolen between October 2022 and September 2023. According to Me Pascal Huchet, lawyer for Bolloré Logistics, “this is a disastrous situation for the brand image and Le Havre is no longer a safe port with these recurring flights. “It’s discouraging shippers and shipowners.”
L’Oréal’s lawyer, Me Céline Boisseau, deplored “image damage. A reputation is quickly defeated.” The prosecution had requested sentences of between 12 and 36 months, including 18 months. The investigation, led by the Rouen Research Section, reinforced by the Departmental Gendarmerie Company (CGD) of Le Havre, continues.
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