The cartels of Marseille - Drugs war and contract killings | DW Documentary

The summer of 2021 was the deadliest in the history of Marseille. 15 people were killed in shootouts. Increasingly, rival gangs are creating a climate of fear in the city’s northern neighborhoods. Parts of Marseille are under the control of powerful drugs cartels.

They’re not afraid to carry out contract killings to demonstrate their power or secure new areas for the handling and sale of drugs. The city’s police force is aiming to solve the problem with special units. It’s thought the cartels’ turnover is around 30 million Euros per month. In hotspots such as the social housing districts in northern Marseille, dealers earn up to 80,000 Euros a day.

The Marseille police, anti-drugs authority and special plainclothes units are on duty 24/7 in a bid to stop the illegal activity. But the gangs continue to use violent tactics, which sometimes cost the lives of innocent civilians. The documentary accompanies these elite units on patrol and during dramatic large-scale operations.