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Marseille Anti-Narco Sweep Nets 114 Arrests After 1,500 Officers Hit 15 Dealing Sites

The coordinated raid is being cast as a push to reclaim territory ahead of high-level Paris meetings, including a planned presidential visit.

Overview

  • Police reported 4,773 people checked, 114 arrests and 82 in custody, with about 7 kg of cannabis resin seized during the December 9–10 action.
  • Fifteen established drug points were targeted at once using canine teams and drone imaging, a show of force the prefect said was meant to “reclaim the ground.”
  • Nineteen businesses were inspected to disrupt the trafficking economy, yielding 118 kg of contraband tobacco and a handgun, with two closure requests initiated.
  • On the ground, residents voiced both relief and skepticism, as officials acknowledged traffickers limit on-site stock to avoid large seizures in such raids.
  • The operation comes before an Élysée session on narcotrafficking and a presidential trip expected in mid-December, with authorities citing a 146% jump in 2025 cocaine seizures and 17 drug-related homicides this year.