Drug traffickers have established an illegal checkpoint on the Chemin de Lestang, which leads to the Bellefontaine neighborhood of Toulouse, in southern France.
For the last few weeks, drivers have reported being stopped, searched, and questioned at gunpoint in the middle of the night.
According to eyewitness accounts, garbage cans and rubble are used to block the road before armed men intervene.
One driver claims he was forced to open his doors while individuals inspected the vehicle before allowing him to leave.
A witness describes young men carrying a Kalashnikov rifle with a rounded magazine.
On April 17th, an Uber Eats delivery driver filed a complaint after being assaulted and robbed in the area using the same method.
Residents also report beatings, threats, and intimidation against those who refuse the searches. According to reports, this operation aims to protect a drug dealing hotspot amid ongoing rivalry between Bellefontaine and La Reynerie, marked by several shootings that have left one person dead and several wounded.
The national police have increased their patrols. However, a suspect arrested with a long gun during the week of April 22nd was released due to lack of evidence.
