Visiting Marseille, Emmanuel Macron evokes an “unprecedented operation” against drugs to “clear the way”


Emmanuel Macron is making a surprise visit to Marseille this Tuesday March 19 to announce the launch of an “unprecedented operation” intended to stop the drug trafficking which is plaguing France’s second city. “In Marseille and other cities in France, it is an unprecedented operation that we have launched to put a stop to drug trafficking, ensure republican order, and clear the air,” declared on X the head of state, shortly after his arrival.

The Head of State joined on site the Ministers of the Interior Gérald Darmanin, of Justice Eric Dupond-Moretti as well as the Secretary of State for the City Sabrina Agresti-Roubache. This “Place Net XXL” operation will mobilize very large police forces for several weeks. Emmanuel Macron’s visit comes as several raids have taken place recently within the two main gangs – “DZ Mafia” and “Yoda” – vying for control of drug trafficking in France’s second city.

49 people killed in 2023

Thirteen young suspected members of the “DZ mafia” were arrested a week ago in Marseille, Rennes and in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence as part of an investigation into attempted murder in Spain. Ten of them were indicted on Saturday, according to the Marseille prosecutor’s office. These arrests came just a few days after the arrest in Morocco of Félix Bingui, 33, alias “the cat”, the alleged leader of the “Yoda” clan, rival of the “DZ mafia” in Marseille.

The turf war for control of juicy deal points has bloodied Marseille like never before in 2023, with 49 people killed in narchomicides, including four collateral victims. “My roadmap today is clear: drugs, drugs, more drugs,” declared Pierre-Edouard Colliex, new prefect of Bouches-du-Rhône at the beginning of March on the occasion of one of these “clear square” operations carried out almost daily by the police in the cities of Marseille. Again on Monday, one of these operations took place in the city of La Castellane, one of the largest in Marseille, which has several deal points.

Marseille magistrates sounded the alarm at the beginning of March in the face of the power of drug trafficking. “We are losing the war against traffickers in Marseille,” worried Isabelle Fort, head of the “organized crime” department of the Marseille prosecutor’s office, before the Senate commission of inquiry dedicated to the fight against drug trafficking. drugs in France.





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