What we know about the discovery of 70 kg of cannabis resin at the home of a mayor of Yonne

After the discovery, which took place as part of an “XXL clean spot” operation, Jamilah Habsaoui, mayor of Avallon, was placed in police custody with six other people, including two of her brothers.

At least 70 kg of resin cannabis were discovered, Sunday April 7, at the home of the mayor of Avallon (Yonne), Jamilah Habsaoui, as part of an investigation carried out by the gendarmerie research brigade, learned franceinfo and France 3 Bourgogne-Franche- County. The elected official was arrested and placed in police custody, along with six other people, said the public prosecutor of Auxerre, Hugues de Phily. Franceinfo summarizes what we know about this affair.

Drugs, money and gold seized

Some 70 kg of cannabis resin were found at the home of the diverse-left elected official, where her father and brother also live, according to France 3 Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. The prosecutor, who confirmed the discovery of the drugs, did not confirm that it had indeed been found at his home. Other searches, notably carried out at the town hall and in a pharmacy in Avallon, where Jamilah Habsaoui works, led to the seizure of 983 grams of cocaine, 7,000 euros in cash and around twenty gold bars, according to the prosecutor.

Seven people taken into custody

Jamilah Habsaoui, mayor of the commune since 2021, was arrested and placed in police custody on Sunday. A native of Avallon, the 46-year-old councilor was elected mayor in March 2021 of this town of 6,000 inhabitants, after having been municipal councilor since 2014 then first deputy. She is also the delegated regional advisor in charge of rurality for Burgundy-Franche-Comté. On site, the mayor is described as someone “friendly”Who “does things right”according to residents met by France 3 Bourgogne-Franche-Comté.

In addition, six other people were arrested and placed in police custody, including two of Jamilah Habsaoui’s brothers, according to the prosecutor. Both men are known to the courts for drug offenses. They are suspected of using the elected official’s home to “store the goods”. The investigation will have to determine whether or not the mayor was aware.

An “XXL net space” operation

These searches took place as part of an “XXL clean spot” operation in the department, France 3 Bourgogne-Franche-Comté learned. “This operation was well prepared in advance by the investigators” Who “have been working on this case for several weeks”specified the Auxerre prosecutor.

Several homes, elsewhere in Yonne, were also the subject of searches. In total, 75 gendarmes from the gendarmerie research brigade and the Avallon gendarmerie surveillance and intervention platoon, with sniffer dogs and reinforcements from the Dijon research section, were mobilized to conduct this vast operation.