Overview
- Police flooded 15 drug-selling spots across Marseille with about 900 officers, making 148 arrests and seizing 5.4 kg of cannabis, 1 kg of cocaine, cash, banked funds and luxury goods, with many cases still awaiting prosecutorial outcomes.
- Prosecutors said Thursday that 18 suspected members of a network based in the Cité des Oliviers A were placed under formal investigation, nine were jailed, and the operation was thought to generate about €16.5 million a year while supplying sites in Marseille and Nice.
- A separate investigation into runs between Spain, the Var and Corsica led to six people being indicted and remanded, with searches turning up 413 kg of cannabis resin, more than 8 kg of cocaine, seven handguns, two long guns and over €125,000 in cash.
- The state auctioned 350 seized luxury items in Marseille, raising about €1.59 million to help reimburse victims and convert criminal assets into public funds in what officials say is a key financial blow to trafficking groups.
- Customs reported finding nearly 1.2 tonnes of cocaine hidden under bags of soil in a truck on the A7, underscoring that interdictions on long-haul routes complement local raids and judicial work in the city.