Drug trafficking: drones in Rennes to fight against dealers

"Every month, a decree authorizing drone flights over neighborhoods where drug dealing is concentrated in order to ensure aerial surveillance of public spaces" is signed, declared the prefect of Ille-et-Vilaine, Amaury de Saint-Quentin, to the elected members of the Rennes city council at the end of June.

In the Breton capital, the "first half of the year (was) marked by episodes of unacceptable violence linked to drug trafficking" , stressed the prefect, who does not intend "to allow enclaves to be established under the control of dealers".

According to him, the drone "is an extremely effective tool for directing ground patrols." Moreover, "unlike video surveillance cameras, some of which have just been damaged again near a drug dealing point, the drone cannot be destroyed by traffickers."

Over the past decade, drone use has multiplied (military, agriculture, entertainment, rescue, etc.), but it wasn't until 2023 that the decree defining its use for police missions was published. "Drones, for the fight against drug trafficking, are a bit of an operational novelty. They could become an indispensable tool, as they are for rescue and civil security missions," notes Benoît Fayet, security consultant at Sopra Steria.

Thus, the Rennes Air Resources Brigade (BMA), composed of five drone pilots, was created in June 2023, according to a Rennes police spokesperson. "Bruno Retailleau issued circulars asking each prefect to define departmental crime prevention plans. It was requested that prefects rely on drones for security and prevention, particularly for drug trafficking," Mr. Fayet emphasized.

“Extremely restricted use”

The police union welcomes its use. "We wonder how we managed before when we didn't have them. It was implemented a little late because we ran into administrative problems with flight permits," notes Frédéric Gallet, departmental delegate for Ille-et-Vilaine for the Alliance police union.

For Yoann Leandri, deputy regional secretary for the western zone of Unsa Police, "we must also evolve with drones given the means now used by drug traffickers." "Drones allow us to view a lot of things from above and are an excellent support for police officers on the ground. But their use is extremely regulated," adds the union representative.

Indeed, since April 2023, regulations have governed the use of drone images by law enforcement for public safety purposes. This is "not about collecting evidence or conducting investigations as in legal proceedings," and it is also prohibited to "use facial recognition," according to the Ministry of the Interior.

The CNIL emphasizes that "drones are inherently discreet devices, whose elevated position allows them to film places that are difficult to access," which "present specific risks for the protection of privacy." Thus, the prefectural authorization must determine "the objective pursued and set the strictly necessary geographical area," while the images are kept for a period of seven days, warns the CNIL.