While the settling of scores in the context of drug trafficking is intensifying in France, the Ministers of the Interior and Justice, Bruno Retailleau and Didier Migaud, went to Marseille on Friday 8 November to announce measures intended to strengthen the fight against trafficking of drugs, against what the executive asks “general mobilization”. During a joint press conference, the two ministers illustrated the general lines of their plan against organized crime.
The Minister of Justice, speaking first, announced the institution, “in the next few weeks”of a “national coordination cell” to combat this “scourge”. “There is no fatality, politics is a weapon to fight this crime”he assured, saying he wanted it “provide the means to prevent, prosecute, judge and punish”. This cell will be responsible for, among other things, “draw up a state of threat, [de] define an operational strategy and implement it »explained Didier Migaud, clarifying it “The teams of the Paris Prosecutor’s Office work in the fight against organized crime at a national level [seraient] therefore strengthened by 40%”.
The Minister of Justice said so “favorable” to the creation of a “a true national prosecutor’s office”. He also said he was considering the judgment of “organised gang crimes”, linked in particular to drug trafficking, by special assize courts, composed exclusively of professional magistrates, such as terrorism cases. Use only professional magistrates and not popular juries, which normally make up the assize courts, “it would eliminate the risk of pressure exerted on jurors in order to guide the final judicial decision”declared the Minister of Justice. Didier Migaud also spoke about the status of repentant, whose protection he would like to improve.
The Minister of the Interior Bruno
MM. Retailleau and Migaud were received by the mayor of Marseille, Benoît Payan, then they went to the prefecture of Bouches-du-Rhône, where they met associations and families of victims of murders linked to drug trafficking. The Minister of the Interior will then meet the police troops of the northern districts, while Didier Migaud will travel to the Baumettes prison and the Marseille court, where he will have talks with the heads of the courts and jurisdictions, as well as with the personal judges of the interregional jurisdiction specialized (JIRS).
After several fatal shootings related to drug trafficking, Bruno Retailleau had promised to “war” a long and ruthless campaign against this trafficking, whose turnover is estimated between 3.5 and 6 billion euros per year in France. The measures had already been reviewed on Thursday during a meeting between the two ministers and the head of government, Michel Barnier. The plan will include “better organization of specialized courts, new means of investigation for law enforcement and magistrates”of “additional measures” on prisoners, minors and illegal content online, explained the Prime Minister ON.
“More police, more repression and no results”
The two men will have to search “a cross-party consensus” based on the bill by senators Etienne Blanc (Les Républicains, Rhône) and Jérôme Durain (Socialist Party, Saône-et-Loire), received last week. The text, which will have to be examined by the Senate on 27 January 2025, proposes in particular to recalibrate the Anti-Narcotics Office (Ofast) into a real “French GODDESS”from the name of the American drug control agency, and to create a national anti-drug prosecutor’s office (Pnast). “Insoumis” and the socialists simultaneously put on the table a number of proposals to combat organized crime and drug trafficking, including the legalization of cannabis, a “health approach” and additional resources.
On the field, the expectations are enormous. “What if we signaled the end of this show that started several months ago? Different ministers came, Emmanuel Macron came and, every time, with the same answer: more police, more repression and no results […]. What people are asking for is that we talk about their homes, about safety in their neighborhoods, about the responsibility of social landlords.”Amine Kessaci, spokesperson for the Coscience association, was outraged on RTL.
“We must review the texts, organizations and means in response to the violence that has become limitless, the corruption of minds and practices, the financial impact of networks”estimated Franck Rastoul, attorney general of the Court of Appeal of Aix-en-Provence. Another judicial source cited “an asphyxiation of the judicial system”believing it right in Marseille “750 detained and indicted” constitute organized crime. “The fight against drug banditry is a great national cause and we need to change gear. But does the budgetary context allow this? »you ask.
In 2023, 49 deaths related to drug trafficking were recorded in Marseille, including seven minors, a record. Most of these murders occurred against the backdrop of a war between the DZ Mafia and Yoda gangs for control of drug sales outlets. Since the beginning of the year, 17 narcocides have been recorded in the city. This gang war involves increasingly younger teenagers.
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On November 8, 2024, French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau and Justice Minister Didier Migaud traveled to Marseille amidst escalating violence linked to drug trafficking. The ministers announced new measures aimed at bolstering the country’s fight against organized crime, emphasizing the need for a “general mobilization” from the government and society.
During their press conference, Migaud revealed plans for the upcoming establishment of a ”national coordination cell” dedicated to combatting the escalating drug crisis. This initiative aims to enhance preventive measures, prosecution efforts, and judicial processes related to organized crime. He indicated that the Paris Prosecutor’s Office would receive a 40% increase in resources to aid in these efforts.
Migaud also expressed support for creating a specialized national prosecutor’s office that would handle organized crime, particularly drug trafficking cases. He suggested that such cases could be tried in special courts composed solely of professional judges to reduce potential pressures on jurors and ensure impartial judgments. Additionally, he pledged to improve protections for whistleblowers or repentants.
Retailleau and Migaud met with local officials, victims’ families, and law enforcement personnel, acknowledging the heavy toll drug trafficking has taken on communities. The Interior Minister reiterated the government’s commitment to a rigorous and enduring campaign against drug trafficking, recognizing the estimated annual revenue from this crime in France, which ranges from €3.5 billion to €6 billion.
Plans set forth by the ministers include more effective organization within specialized courts, enhanced investigative methods for law enforcement, and further measures to address issues concerning minors and illegal online content. The government is also pursuing a cross-party consensus on proposed legislation to reform the national anti-drug strategy and create an anti-drug prosecutor’s office.
Public sentiment remains skeptical, with some community leaders expressing frustration over a perceived lack of effective results from previous government actions. Amine Kessaci, a spokesman for the Coscience association, voiced concerns that many residents are tired of promises that lack tangible outcomes, emphasizing the need for focused discussions on neighborhood safety and social responsibilities.
