Since the end of March, nearly 350 customers of places or nightclubs have filed complaints for injections received in establishments in urban areas dependent on the police in France. More than half of these complaints, nearly 200, were recorded only during this month of May, according to information from France Inter on Monday May 30. These figures do not include any complaints collected by the gendarmes.
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These stings are sometimes accompanied by dizziness, nausea or even discomfort. The contents of the syringes and the motives of the suspects remain unknown to investigators. In only two cases, in Roanne (Loire) and in the Pyrénées-Orientales, GHB, a powerful psychotropic, was detected. No alleged perpetrator has been arrested at this stage.
Faced with this wave of reports, the police and the managers of night places are doubling their vigilance. In Paris, relatively spared by the phenomenon (only ten complaints have been recorded since the end of March), the police have visited certain establishments for prevention operations in recent days. In the event of a complaint being filed, each victim is screened as quickly as possible to detect the substance that may have been injected or any contamination by these needles. Toxicological analyzes are systematically requested by law enforcement authorities throughout France.
On the ground, in Paris, in the 10th arrondissement, a manager, who wishes to remain anonymous, explains to France Inter that he has reinforced the security of his establishment, by systematically searching each customer. At the Nouveau Casino, in the 11th arrondissement of the capital, the threat is taken seriously but “no specific measure at this stage” was taken, explains the director of operations Loane Tabone, to France Inter.
“We are very vigilant in the room, we shoot a lot, as soon as a client is unwell, we try to find out why. Anything that can harm our clients, we are vigilant, whether it’s GHB in the glass, or dealers who would turn in the establishment.”
Loane Tabone, New Casino Operations Managerat France Inter
“We have two agents at the entrance, the search is very rigorous”further reassures Augustin Lunda, in charge of security at the New Casino. Other managers explain being attentive without giving in to what they call a “psychosis”after two years of closure linked to Covid.