Charente cognac theft attempt of 600,000 euros thwarted

A major attempt to steal approximately 600,000 euros worth of cognac was thwarted at a warehouse in Charente, France. On August 21, a driver operating a Polish-registered truck arrived with a falsified delivery note, attempting to load 24 pallets containing 12,096 bottles of spirits.

Warehouse employees, having been alerted to potential fraud, contacted law enforcement when the driver presented a delivery location that differed from the original agreement. While the driver was intercepted and taken into custody, he was later released due to a lack of evidence directly linking him to the fraud. An investigation into attempted organized theft and fraud has been launched by the Limoges judicial police.

This incident follows a series of similar schemes in the region. In November, cognac houses Peyrat and Hardy were victims of a similar tactic involving a driver impersonating a Belgian subcontractor, resulting in a loss of 130,000 euros. Another attempt involving Hennessy was also intercepted after staff requested identification.