Truck with a large shipment of "laughing gas" detained in France. The driver was Belarusian
In the French region of Occitania, customs officers confiscated almost 30 tons of nitrous oxide, known as "laughing gas". This is one of the largest seizures of such a substance in France, reports the "Belarus and the World" website.
On September 14, at the Montauban-Nord toll booth in the Tarn-et-Garonne department, French customs officers stopped a Lithuanian company's truck traveling from Barcelona to Paris. The 32-year-old Belarusian citizen was behind the wheel.
During the inspection, an unusual cargo was found in the truck — about 13 tons of nitrous oxide cylinders. They were placed on 14 pallets wrapped in heat-shrink film.
The continuation of the investigation led law enforcement officers to a warehouse in L'Isle-Jourdain in the Gers department. There, about another 17 tons of nitrous oxide were found, placed on 18 pallets.
As a result, about 6000 cylinders with a total weight of 29 tons were confiscated. The value of the cargo was estimated at approximately 665 thousand euros.
The Belarusian driver was detained, taken to court in Bordeaux, and placed in custody. Proceedings were initiated against him. The investigation suggests that the man might have been only part of a larger scheme run by a group of people.
Among the charges brought are participation in a criminal conspiracy, illegal transportation of substances, undeclared work, and money laundering. Investigators are now trying to uncover the structure behind the large-scale import of nitrous oxide, as well as identify the organizers and other participants in the scheme.
It is reported that in February 2026, in Narbonne in the same region, French law enforcement officers had already detained a Lithuanian truck with a Belarusian driver. At that time, about 7.2 tons of nitrous oxide were found in it.
Nitrous oxide is legally used in medicine and the food industry, but the sale of the substance to private individuals is restricted or prohibited in many countries. Uncontrolled inhalation can lead to cardiac arrhythmia, difficulty breathing, circulatory disorders, toxic intoxication, asphyxia, and death.
In France, the widespread illegal use of "laughing gas," especially among teenagers, has become a serious problem in recent years. The sale of nitrous oxide to individuals is already restricted there. From February 1, 2027, its sale is planned to be completely banned, and inhalation of the substance will be punishable by imprisonment for up to one year.
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