The alleged leader of the "Yoda" clan, one of the biggest drug gangs in Marseille, has been extradited from Morocco to France, following his arrest last year. This comes as lawmakers prepare to debate a bill to tighten measures against drug trafficking.
Accused of being at the origin of a deadly drug trafficking war in France's second largest city, 34-year-old Félix Bingui was arrested on 8 March, 2024 in Casablanca.
In April 2024, during a hearing at the Rabat Court of Cassation, he agreed to be extradited to France.
He arrived in France on Tuesday and is expected to be heard by the investigating judge, according to a report in Le Parisien daily newspaper.
Reacting on social media platform X, the newly-appointed French Justice Minister, Gérald Darmanin wrote that the extradition was a "victory against narcobanditism".
Darmanin, who was Interior Minister when Bingui was arrested, thanked the Moroccan authorities for their cooperation in the extradition process, "which will finally allow French justice to judge him".
The arrest warrant issued by a Marseille investigating judge accused Bingui of "importing narcotics through an organised gang, the transport, detention, acquisition and transfer of narcotics, criminal association (...) money laundering and non-justification of resources".
Macron launches major police operation to end Marseille drug wars
Bingui's lawyer Philippe Ohayon said he "hoped that the magistrates responsible for the case [would] approach the subject with serenity and complete independence, while respecting the rights of the defense."
Born in Alès, in the Gard region, Bingui has an extensive police record, Le Parisien said, adding Bingui went by the nickname "le chat".
"He started with burglaries, he was arrested the first time for a big burglary in Montpellier and slowly, he slid towards drug trafficking and settling scores," police officer Bruno Bartocetti, told France 3 Provence-Alpes television.
Bingui regularly travelled back and forth between Marseille and Morocco until the outbreak of a "war" between the "Yoda" gang and the rival "DZ Mafia" in February 2023 which forced him to stay in Morocco.
The turf war between the two gangs for control of lucrative deal points - up to €80,000 in daily turnover in certain places - has scarred the city and prompted a major crackdown by authorities.
According to Le Parisien, 35 of the 49 drug trafficking deaths in 2023 were in connection to these two main gangs.
Must remain 'vigilant'
On Tuesday, both the Chief police prefect and the Marseille prosecutor presented their latest report on the security situation.
While the number of deaths linked to drug trafficking in the southern city had decreased to 24 in 2024, police remain on their guard.
The decrease in the number of these "narchomicides", as Marseille police call them, is partly due to "the victory of the DZ Mafia over the Yoda clan", chief prosecutor Nicolas Bessone told AFP
"But we must remain very vigilant, there are still ongoing conflicts," he said, referring to what he calls "narcoterrorism", whereby gangs use weapons to terrorise "everyone and in particular the population who live there".
According to Prefect Pierre-Edouard Colliex, the drop in the number of deaths can also be credited to the "historic mobilisation" of police and justice services.
In 2024, more than 2,000 people were indicted in Marseille on drug offenses, of whom 833 were placed in pre-trial detention, and several commandos were arrested before they could take action.
Marseille's drug war victims, perpetrators younger than ever: prosecutor
The prosecutor said that "more than half of juvenile delinquency" in Marseille is linked to the drug trade, citing some 480 arrests of teenagers in the past year.
Attracted by the mirage of "easy money" for running errands for gangs, these youths come from all around France, the prosecutor said.
For him, authorities must not let up on the gangs, taking the lead from the "XXL cleanup" measures launched by President Emmanuel Macron from Marseille in March.
The latest statistics come as lawmakers prepare to debate a bill to develop further measures against drug trafficking in France.
(with AFP)
