Petit Pierre drug dealer in Digne: 12 months in prison for cannabis traffic!

Petit Pierre drug dealer in Digne: 12 months in prison for cannabis traffic!

in Digne-les-Bains, a small but emerging place in the southern Alps of France, the case of a cannabis dealer is currently making headlines. Pierre Balivet, 45 years old and known from the locals as "Petit Pierre", was convicted of drug trade in front of the tribunal Judiciaire. His case throws a bright light on the continuing problems of drug crime in the region.

The police had become aware of Balivet when she persecuted a well -known drug user into a caravan. There the officers discovered the former lumberjack, who lives from a disability pension and the RSA. During the search, they found not only 2 grams of cannabis, but also a precision scale and several cannabis barrettes. Balivet confessed to consume the drugs for pain relief after an accident. Nevertheless, his 19 criminal records, including 12 because of drug trade, speak a different language. Prosecutor Alexandra Pradalier accused him of not learning from his mistakes despite his history and called for a 12-month prison sentence and a three-year residence ban in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. The court followed this claim and condemned it accordingly. [Le Dauphiné reports that ...] (https://www.ledauphine.com/faits-divers- justice/2025/07/une-peine-de-prison-ferme-pour-trafiquant-de-cannabis-dealait-dans-caravane)

a network is smashed

The Situation in Digne-les-Bains is not only limited to Balivet. A larger drug ring, which was responsible for the delivery of narcotics, has only recently been deciphered. According to information from BFM TV Network, a third person, sentenced to three years and six months in prison. The police had carried out a comprehensive investigation that included telephone surveillance and observations, and last September they found eight suspects in connection with drug trafficking.

This operation also convicted five other men, who now all have a three-year ban on the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Drug crime has increased dramatically in this region, which is also supported by other statistics, such as that of Statista. In 2023 there were over 347,000 cases of drug crime in Germany, with a special focus on cannabis, which is still over 90 percent of the offenses, despite the gradual legalization since April 2024.

drug crime as a social problem

The effects of drug crime should not be underestimated. Long -term damage to health and an increasing risk of drug addicts can often be observed. The number of drug deaths in Germany in 2023 rose to a total of 2,230, with Bremen as one of the affected cities. Particularly alarming is the number of drug deaths, which are rarely caused by acute overdose, but by lengthy health consequences. Despite intensive police actions, the problem of drug crime remains the order of the day and shows that there is still a long way to improve the situation.

The events around Pierre Balivet and the drug cartel made of Digne-les-Bains are only the tip of the iceberg. While the judiciary tries to act hard against drug trafficking, the challenge remains to change consumption habits in society.