A brief stopover in Monaco turned into a legal nightmare for four Polish men on Tuesday, October 8. The group, who had driven from Poland en route to Barcelona, entered Monaco for just 10 minutes before being pulled over by local police. A routine check revealed tens of thousands of euros in cash and small quantities of drugs, leading to charges of drug trafficking, tax fraud, and criminal association.
The group, traveling to celebrate a birthday, insisted they had no intention of stopping in Monaco and thought they were still in France. They claimed the cash was for buying luxury goods, while the drugs, including 3-CMC and cocaine, were for personal use.
The police, however, discovered suspicious items in the car, such as a laminator and polyurethane foam, commonly linked to drug trafficking. Although the men had explanations for the items, including that the foam was for home renovations, authorities remained skeptical. Despite this, no drugs were found in the car, and sniffer dogs only detected traces in the storage compartment.
The men, all of whom live with their parents and work as tradesmen, struggled to explain the large sums of cash, claiming it was earned through car restoration. However, they refused 27 times to unlock their phones, raising further suspicion. Investigators found images of drugs and evidence of their travel plans to Cairo, which aligned with their story of celebrating the birthday abroad.
Despite their defence, the court found the two oldest men guilty and sentenced them to 18 months in prison, while the other two received nine months. All were acquitted of drug importation charges, but their cash and belongings were confiscated. The case highlights the challenges of cross-border legal systems, as the defendants struggled to provide proper documentation from Poland to support their claims.