A man who thought he was buying a stock of El Mordjene spread was robbed in the 11th arrondissement of Marseille on Friday, September 13.
The famous El Mordjene spread, made in Algeria, is a victim of its own success, despite its ban on import into Europe. This spread, well-known among Algerians, was sold in a few grocery stores in Marseille, but in a rather confidential manner, until influencers promoted it on social networks.
In just two months, there has been a rush: the shelves of supermarkets have been emptied. Some fans travel dozens of kilometers to get some. There is even a black market. And it is not going to get any better since last Friday, the European Union has banned imports of El Mordjene on the grounds that it contains milk and Algeria is not authorized to export dairy products to France.
An ambush
So, like everywhere, as soon as there is a craze for a product, scammers smell the vein and take advantage of it. This is what happened on Friday evening, September 13. The manager of a convenience store learned that a wholesaler had a large stock to sell.
He decides to send one of his employees with more than 5,000 euros in his pocket to buy several hundred pots. Arriving on site around 11 p.m., in the Valbarelle district, the 27-year-old is welcomed, then escorted to a building where he is asked to go up to the 4th floor.
Then, he finds himself facing armed men: it was in fact a trap, summarizes La Provence. Under the threat of a pistol, the employee finds himself forced to hand over all the cash he had on him and leave with empty pockets and empty hands… Not the slightest pot of El Mordjene in sight.
A robbery involving chocolate spread is a first. A complaint has been filed. An investigation is underway, led by police officers from the Marseille territorial crime division.
