When they work in a warehouse in the Fenots district of Dreux on November 10, 2019, the gendarmes are certain to have come across an underground gaming room. That evening, twenty-five gendarmes burst into the premises.
At that time, seventeen people are present in the warehouse. Some play poker, others smoke shisha pipes. All were arrested, but only three of them were implicated: a 54-year-old man, suspected of being the organizer of clandestine poker games, and two other Drouais, 31 and 34 years old. One is presented as the right-hand man of the “boss”, the other to have held the role of croupier.
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It was an anonymous informant who was behind the phone call. According to information he has given to investigators, some evenings, more than 100,000 € in stakes would be recorded.
The gendarmes begin their investigations in August 2019. While discreetly monitoring the warehouse, they notice many comings and goings of people, some of whom are already known to their services.
Poker games “only between friends”
The three suspects are sent to court for operating a clandestine gambling house, an offense punishable by three years’ imprisonment and very heavy fines.
At the hearing, the 50-year-old, suspected of being the organizer, denies having managed such an establishment. “There were poker games, but only with friends,” he says. “Our premises were not open to the public. Besides, during their surveillance, the gendarmes noticed that I closed the gate after each arrival of a car. “
€ 100 bets to sit at the poker table
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For him, the stakes are far from being up to the sums advanced by the anonymous indicator. “The average is 10 or 20 €. But during his custody, the man suspected of being the right-hand man of the fifties may have spoken a little too much. “You have to bet at least € 100 to be able to sit at one of the poker tables. “
On the other hand, he denies being the right arm of the organizer of the games. “During the summer, he went to Turkey. I just asked her for the keys so we could meet up with friends over a hookah. As for the third Drouais, presented as one of the croupiers, he defends himself vigorously. “There was no dealer. Each player held this role. “
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For the prosecutor, the offense is established. He acknowledges that the stakes were not up to the sums advanced by the informant. “But it was indeed a clandestine gambling hall. “
Conditional sentence required
Against the 50-year-old suspected of being the organizer, he claims a six-month suspended prison sentence, a € 5,000 fine, the confiscation of his car and the € 3,700 found on him at the time of the arrests. He asked for a two and four month suspended sentence and a € 2,000 fine against the other two Drouais.
In defense, the lawyers ask for the release. Me Mathieu Cauchon, who defends the main suspect, believes “that the offense of holding a clandestine gambling hall is absolutely not constituted”.
The court, which has given itself time to reflect, will issue its decision on August 17.
Jacques Joannopoulos
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