Six people were arrested in flagrante delicto last Thursday, as part of the dismantling of battery trafficking. The team is believed to have primarily targeted a large operator of e-scooters and e-bikes.
Trafficking in electric batteries, sent abroad to be dissected and their components resold, has just been dismantled in Paris and Le Havre, the gendarmerie announced on Tuesday. Under the direction of the Paris prosecutor’s office, six suspects were arrested in flagrante delicto on Thursday during a delivery of batteries between individuals operating in France and alleged sponsors. 53 stolen batteries were seized following the searches.
During the summer, investigators from the research section of the Air Transport Gendarmerie learned of the existence of a place where stolen batteries were stored near Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport. The material was stored and conditioned until a sufficient number of stolen batteries were collected – a minimum of 100.
The batteries were then shipped to Romania, via a rental or personal vehicle, one trip every ten days on average.
“The batteries were bought back for 10 to 15 euros, and resold in Romania, more expensive, between 30 and 40 euros. The components were resold, undoubtedly for reprocessing and extraction of rare metals.“, according to a source close to the matter.
The arrested team is suspected of having mainly targeted a large operator of electric scooters and bicycles and of having removed dozens of machine batteries during tours. According to investigators, the total damage from the activity of this team is estimated at around one million euros.
While the six suspects were placed in pre-trial detention, the investigation was entrusted to an investigating judge.
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