French Man Arrested After High-Speed Chase with €3,300 Contraband Tobacco in Pas de la Casa

Police in Pas de la Casa arrested a 31-year-old French non-resident on Sunday morning after he led officers on a high-speed chase through the town's streets in a French-registered car. The man spotted police nearby, accelerated to evade them, drove against traffic on several roads, performed maneuvers to avoid other vehicles, then abandoned the still-moving car and fled on foot. Officers quickly apprehended him.

A search of the boot revealed 850 packets of contraband tobacco worth about €3,300. The haul was transferred to customs, as the quantity fell short of the criminal threshold and amounted to an administrative offence. He faces charges for a public safety violation over the reckless driving and for obstructing public authority by ignoring police orders. Traffic remained light due to RN-20 highway closures.

Over the weekend, police recorded further arrests. For public health offences tied to cocaine possession, they detained a 31-year-old tourist inside a Tarter nightclub carrying 1.1 grams, and a 21-year-old resident outside an Arinsal nightlife venue with 0.5 grams—equivalent to about two lines—during a routine patrol. The Arinsal suspect spent the night in custody, underwent swift judicial review Sunday morning, and received a conditional sentence along with a fine.

Road safety checks yielded eight drink-driving arrests of men aged 25 to 53, with blood alcohol levels ranging from 0.88 to 2.20 g/l across the network. One, stopped near the Aixovall roundabout shortly before midnight Saturday, also drove despite a court-ordered licence suspension and was charged additionally with obstructing justice.