In Marseille, two halal butcher shops burned down in 24 hours

In Bouches-du-Rhône, the method hardly surprises anyone anymore as it is tirelessly repeated according to the brands and other businesses that have fallen into the sights of enigmatic criminals. At the end of last week, two halal butcher shops nestled in the northern districts of the Marseille city were set on fire by criminals equipped with gasoline and determined to make them go up in smoke.

As indicated in Figaro from a source close to the matter, who confirms information revealed by Provence a first sign in the 15th arrondissement was doused with gasoline using a jerry can during the night from Wednesday to Thursday. The arsonist, a hooded individual, was filmed setting fire to the front of the butcher shop then quickly fleeing. An initial investigation was opened and entrusted to the local judicial police service (SLPJ).

Two arsonists arrested

Although this first fire did not cause too much damage, as the interior of the premises was not affected, a second fire broke out 24 hours later in the same district. This time, two individuals equipped with a handgun appeared in the store on Friday morning, ordering customers and butcher’s staff present on site to leave the premises before spilling gasoline on the ground.

Two suspects aged around twenty were intercepted and taken into custody shortly after the events on Friday morning. A second investigation, opened for “voluntary damage to private property” and entrusted to the banditry suppression brigade (BRB) was also opened to shed light on these facts and try to bring together these two very similar events.

The two brands, which share almost the same name and apparently the same owners according to our colleagues, could be the subject of a full-blown racketeering attempt. Requested this Monday, the Marseille prosecutor’s office indicated to the Figaro that the investigations were still in progress and had notably been extended to the heads of “attempted intentional homicide by an organized gang”of “participation in a criminal association with a view to committing crimes by an organized gang” and of “participation in a criminal conspiracy with a view to committing offenses punishable by 10 years”.