A 24-year-old Albanian man accused of helping run a cocaine trafficking operation in Paris has been released from custody after a court clerk failed to sign a key document ordering his detention.
The suspect, identified as Mirsad, had been jailed on Feb. 19 after being charged in Paris with drug trafficking and criminal conspiracy. However, he was freed on Tuesday after the investigating chamber determined that the detention order was invalid due to a procedural mistake.
“The clerk of the judge of freedoms and detention forgot to sign the official report,” the man’s lawyer, Sarah Monchalin, said, describing the omission as an undeniable legal error.
As a result, the court ordered the man’s release under judicial supervision. According to Le Parisien, he is required to report to a police station in central Paris twice a week and provide a residential address in the capital within 48 hours. Failure to do so could result in his being returned to custody, should authorities be able to locate him.
According to investigators, the suspect belonged to a criminal gang using several stash houses to store drugs and organize trips to Belgium to obtain supplies of narcotics. The network reportedly functioned in a manner similar to a call center, with customers placing orders through encrypted messaging services.
Police launched coordinated arrests on Feb. 17, detaining the three suspects of the trafficking ring in their apartments. House searches led to the seizure of approximately two kilograms of cocaine, synthetic drug crystals, and €4,700 in cash.
During questioning, the men reportedly admitted their involvement in the trafficking operation. Mirsad told investigators he had been acting under instructions from a man identified as “Vela,” claiming he had been under pressure due to a debt of €10,000.
The suspect told authorities he had arrived in France only in January 2026 and has no previous criminal record. Investigators, however, said he had made several trips between France and Albania in the past.
