Police officers from OLTIM (Office for the Eradication of Migrant Smuggling) did not expect to get that much money. According to police sources, 1.5 million euros, in small denominations, kept in the safe room of a house, were found in the city of Marseille. For officials who specialize in dealing with this type of human trafficking, this is an excellent result. And the results of several months of investigation.
A few weeks ago, these police officers carried out a search at a garage in Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône), avenue de la Viste. This establishment, located in the 15th arrondissement, was not targeted lightly. At the location, investigators found four migrants – three Algerians and one Nigerian – at work. When questioned, these illegal immigrants explained that they were paid between 50 and 70 euros per day at this garage – run by two brothers – open between 6am and 9pm, seven days a week!
Between the absence of declarations made by employees, and the concealment of income from the general directorate of public finances, the legacy investigation revealed significant shortfalls for the state and losses for URSAFF and DGFiP of more than one million euros.
Four apartments, a car and… lots of cash
On Wednesday 12 November, the two managers and a colleague of one of them were detained by the police at the OLTIM location. Some of their property was confiscated. The court confiscated four apartments used to house their employees, eight bank accounts and a car for a total of around 650,000 euros. Police also found more than 130,000 euros in cash at their home.
(2/2) Marmottan Museum: the spectacular theft of Monet’s masterpiece
Crime story tells major criminal cases every week.
Officials didn’t stop there. They noticed that every night, the brothers’ phones restricted themselves to the area corresponding to their parents’ addresses. The search was on… and that was the jackpot! Bags and suitcases filled with cash were hidden in a small shed at the bottom of the park. The money was carefully counted by police officers. The numbers are dizzying, they only found 1.522 million euros. Cash, some may be accepted for services billed by the repair shop.
The two suspects were released after their prison terms ended. They should be immediately released and then summoned by the court as part of a previous guilty plea hearing (CRPC) specifically for acts of fraud, hidden employment, money laundering and misappropriation of company assets.
