Calling to do “common front” against drug trafficking, the Ministers of the Interior Bruno Retailleau and of Justice Didier Migaud made a series of announcements this November 8, 2024 in an emergency point on the “fight against organized crime” late morning in Marseille. The two ministers made numerous comparisons with terrorism.
Status of repentants, new means… Several announcements
The Minister of Justice notably said he wanted “a real national prosecutor’s office” on the subject, the launch of a communication campaign on drugs and trafficking, the creation of specific areas in prison and the installation of a national coordination unit. “Our legislation must evolve”, he explained. The Minister of Justice wants in particular “rethink” the regime of repentants.
The Minister of Justice also said he was considering the trial of “organized gang crimes” by special assize courts, composed only of professional magistrates, like terrorism cases.
New positions were also announced: new staff for the Paris prosecutor's teams working on the subject, five additional judge positions in Paris.
Bruno Retailleau, for his part, spoke of a new administrative organization with new means, wanting to protect investigators, improving investigation techniques by drawing inspiration from those used against terrorism… “We have to hit the wallet” by giving prefects the power to close money laundering businesses, he asked. The Minister of the Interior also mentioned bans on appearances at deal points for traffickers. An anti-narcotics plan will be proposed “in a few weeks.”
A threat to “the fundamental interests of our nation”
Bruno Retailleau explained that drug trafficking “threatens the fundamental interests of our nation”. “The threat posed by drug trafficking is a threat in terms of savagery and violence. But it is also an existential threat against our institutions, against our democracy,” he insisted, evoking a « cause nationale ».
Didier Migaud made similar comments evoking the “growing and sprawling threat” organized crime which “affects innocent people and undermines the foundations of our republic”. But he wants to believe that political action can help stop this phenomenon. “If we are here today, it is to ward off fate, to prove that there is no inevitability and to show that political will is a powerful weapon to fight against this organized crime”he assured. Calling for a “electroshock”he promised that his hand “will not tremble”. “It’s a national fight that will take years,” added Bruno Retailleau while saying that “we will win” what a fight
The Ministers of the Interior Bruno Retailleau and of Justice Didier Migaud are visiting Marseille this Friday, November 8, 2024 to strengthen the fight against drug trafficking, a growing scourge against which the executive is calling for a “general mobilization”.
Read also : “Narchomicides” in Marseille: how to prevent young people from giving in to “bloodstained money”
“The hardest drugs are available everywhere and all the time”
In 2023, 49 deaths linked to drug trafficking were recorded in Marseille, including seven minors, a record. Most of these murders took place against a backdrop of war between gangs for control of drug sales outlets.
Since the start of the year, 17 narchomicides have been recorded in the city. This gang war involves younger and younger teenagers. “Minors are very concerned,” recalled Didier Migaud, when Bruno Retailleau deplored “a terrible rejuvenation of those who kill and those who are killed”.
In his first interview since his appointment, the new director of the gendarmerie Hubert Bonneau promised to West France this Friday to repeat the “Clean Place” operations in several departments. “There is a trivialization of drug use, particularly cocaine. Today, resellers and consumers are everywhere,” he alerts. “Now the hardest drugs are available everywhere and all the time,” confirmed Bruno Retailleau this Friday.
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