Marseille is grappling with a wave of drug-related violence following two shocking murders involving teenagers, highlighting the city’s ongoing struggle with organized crime.
Last week, a 14-year-old boy killed a taxi driver during a botched revenge operation tied to the brutal slaying of a 15-year-old. Marseille prosecutor Nicolas Bessone has raised concerns about how drug lords are recruiting young boys to commit murders “without any remorse or reflection.”
During a press conference held on Sunday, Bessone described the “unprecedented savagery” surrounding the murder of the 15-year-old, which was linked to a gang conflict involving the “DZ Mafia” and the “Blacks.” Prosecutors revealed that a member of the DZ Mafia, currently incarcerated, had hired the younger boy for €2,000 ($2,192; £1,676) to intimidate a rival by setting fire to his door.
However, the plan went awry when the youth was ambushed by members of the Blacks gang, who discovered a firearm on him. He was brutally attacked, receiving 50 stab wounds before being burned alive at the Fonscolombes housing estate. A friend who accompanied him managed to escape.
Two days later, the imprisoned DZ Mafia member recruited a 14-year-old through social media for revenge, promising him €50,000 ($55,000; £42,000). However, the assignment went tragically wrong when the boy shot and killed 36-year-old taxi driver Nessim Ramdane, as the driver refused to wait while he carried out the attack.
After the incident, the imprisoned individual contacted authorities to turn the shooter in. The young suspect admitted to the shooting but claimed it was accidental.
Public prosecutor Franck Rastoul from the Aix-en-Provence court of appeal emphasized the growing problem of drug-related violence, noting that youths are being “intoxicated by easy drug money” to the extent of showing “total disregard for human life.” Tragically, young people often become victims in this dangerous trade.
In previous incidents, the violence has claimed more young lives; in 2021, for example, a 14-year-old boy was shot outside the Les Marronniers housing estate, leaving two other children, aged 14 and eight, wounded.
This year, French authorities launched a major crackdown on drug trafficking in Marseille, which resulted in 627 arrests, the seizure of 450 kg of cannabis, and the recovery of €1.6 million ($17.5 million; £1.3 million) in cash.
The recent murders bring the total number of drug-related killings in Marseille to 17 since the beginning of 2024, prompting urgent calls for action as the city seeks solutions to this rising tide of violence.
Credit: BBC News
