A law with reinforced powers for prefects
The préfet du Var and prosecutors presented the assessment of the law on drug trafficking, one year after its promulgation.
During a meeting on June 16, the préfet, the procureurs de la République of Toulon and Draguignan, as well as the heads of the internal security forces, presented a detailed progress report on operations conducted in the department. This assessment came one year to the day after the promulgation of the law of June 13, 2025, aimed at reinforcing the repressive arsenal against drug trafficking.
An exposed department
The presence of all mobilized services, from law enforcement to departmental directorates, highlighted the interministerial approach adopted to fight this phenomenon which plagues many territories.
This assessment made it possible to evaluate the law's effectiveness, but also to identify application difficulties on the ground and to outline perspectives for the coming months in a particularly exposed department.
Reinforced administrative prerogatives
Adopted a year ago, this legislation marked a turning point by granting new administrative prerogatives to préfets to complement judicial action. The assessment focused on the application of these new tools.
Among the flagship measures, the law allows the préfet to issue banning orders against individuals identified as participating in dealing points, even without a criminal conviction. This provision aims to destabilize networks by keeping key players away from trafficking locations.
The text also facilitated eviction request procedures for convicted traffickers occupying social housing, responding to high expectations from residents exasperated by insecurity.
Finally, it authorizes the administrative closure of businesses suspected of being involved, directly or indirectly, in the sale of narcotic products or money laundering, a measure intended to hit traffickers in their wallets and clean up the commercial environment of certain neighborhoods.
An initial assessment in figures
This press conference made it possible to quantify the use of these new powers in the Var. The figures on the number of banning orders, eviction requests, and business closures were particularly scrutinized.
Beyond statistics, the prosecutors of Toulon and Draguignan detailed the judicial follow-ups to the operations carried out, illustrating the coordination between administrative action and the criminal justice response.
Photo Préfecture du Var.