The Hérault nightclubs take the lead for avoid having cases of bites in their establishments. In several cities in France such as Nantes or Toulouse, people have complained of having been drugged by strangers with a syringe in bars or nightclubs. In general, they felt nauseous and dizzy at the time. Then they saw traces of bites on their bodies the next day.
In Montpellier, five people say they were victims during rapper Ninho’s concert at the Sud de France Arena on Saturday April 30. The Public Prosecutor of Montpellier confirms that there was 12 complaints recorded in the city in all, since the beginning of the phenomenon. In addition to the ten victims recorded in a nightclub in Béziers at the end of April.
Reinforced security in Hérault nightclubs
Several nightclubs in the Hérault strengthen their security system to prevent their customers from being victimized. Like at Milk in Saint-Jean-de-Védas. “We already have about fifteen cameras in the club with screens that we check regularly. We also have glass protection. There has also been a search system for four years. We are going to strengthen the control of bags at the entry and palpation, including for women” explains Jean-Baptiste Bertrand, communications manager. If a suspicious syringe or product is found during this search, the gendarmerie will be called.
A code word for people who feel in danger was created. They may ask for aIzi cocktail” to any Milk employee. The latter will then understand that the person feels bad and thinks he has been stung. “If the person feels followed, if they think they have been put GHB in their drink or they think they have been stung, they will be taken care of by the security guards” assures Jean-Baptiste Bertrand. He does not want to be alarmist but prefers prevention to cure so that “The club remains a party place.”
In the nightclub L’Entrepôt à Lattes, the same. People will be patted for needles, and bags will be inspected. Glass caps will continue to be offered to customers. The manager, Marc Valente, is even considering installing a metal detector. At L’Usine à Gaz in Béziers, several people were bitten in April. The manager of the establishment has also reinforced the control of bags. It has completely renewed its surveillance camera system to avoid new cases.
The mystery remains on the motivations of the attackers
All these measures are put in place to best secure the customers. Even though the vagueness persists around the profile of the aggressors and their motivations. Many questions remain unanswered and Jean-Baptiste Bertrand, head of communication at Milk, asks them: “Is it a particular age group? What is the target? What is the purpose? What types of people are doing this? Girls? Boys? Young people? Older people?” Many questions and few answers so far. No attacker has been identified. Neither in the Hérault, nor elsewhere. In addition, the blood tests of people who say they have been bitten have not all been conclusive. For the drug to be identified, the blood test must be carried out within ten hours of the injection.