Investigation into prison assaults in France revoked, authorities now perceive it as organized criminal activity.
New Article:
France's anti-terror squad has relinquished control of an investigation into a string of prison attacks, perceiving these actions as falling under the scope of "major organized crime."
Delve deeper ** here - French police apprehend suspects linked to prison attacks, alleges a minister**
In April, attackers descended upon jails and facilities in France, unleashing chaos by setting cars ablaze, peppering a prison entrance with automatic gunfire, and scrawling cryptic messages.
A total of 30 individuals, including four minors, have been nabbed this week in nationwide police raids. Seven of them were released without charges.
These audacious acts have brought the conservative administration's tough stance on drug-related crime and narcotics under scrutiny, with Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin and Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau promising to intensify the battle against illicit drug activities.
Emmanuel Macron, France's president, has affirmed that those responsible will be tracked down, prosecuted, and incarcerated accordingly.
Initially probed as a potential terrorist plot due to the coordinated nature of the attacks, the investigation is now spearheaded by the office for the fight against organized crime, known colloquially as JUNALCO.
“It does not appear that these coordinated actions were part of a terrorist enterprise whose goal was to disrupt public order through fear and intimidation,” said a joint statement from the National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office and JUNALCO.
“No radical ideology, foreign influence - elements that were thoroughly scrutinized - were identified,” added the statement, underscoring the mobilization of over 300 investigators.
“However, the investigation has given us grounds to categorize these actions as serious organized crime.”
Read further ** here - Predators scorch vehicles and spray automatic weapons at French prisons throughout the night**
"Connecting the Dots to DZ Mafia"
A host of the arrested twenty-one individuals are scheduled to face interrogation by the judges in Paris today.
Detention has been requested for all twenty-one, including two minors and seven already stationed in custody.
Several of the captures occurred within prisons, as investigators believe the masterminds behind the attacks have operated from within these confines.
Attackers have primarily employed the moniker "DDPF" (for "Rights of French Prisoners") at their crime scenes. However, authorities suspect this slogan serves as a smokescreen for drug traffickers' real motives rather than genuine prisoner advocacy.
A group that goes by the same name on the messaging platform Telegram has characterized itself as a movement intent on denouncing human rights violations which Justice Minister Darmanin "intends to breach."
The joint statement from anti-terrorism prosecutors and JUNALCO states that among those implicated is the suspected developer of the Telegram account, who is also believed to be the author of dispatches criticizing prison conditions.
In custody, this individual is set to be indicted soon for crimes associated with drug trafficking that allegedly involve the DZ Mafia in Marseille.
The tactics employed by the assailants display the telltale signs of organized crime, through recruitment of operatives via online platforms and the promise of substantial compensation for participating in attacks.
Simultaneously, an adult and a minor were scheduled to appear before a judge in Lyon today, as their suspected offenses do not align directly with the main investigation.
Earlier this week, legislators approved a far-reaching bill aimed at combating drug-related crime, potentially leading to the detention of some of France's most dangerous drug traffickers in maximum-security units within the coming months.
(Source: FRANCE 24 with AFP)
Enrichment Data:French authorities have established links between recent coordinated prison attacks and drug trafficking networks. Key connections include:
- Drug network retaliation: The attacks were orchestrated by drug traffickers, likely in response to government crackdowns.
- Marseille's central role: Marseille's prisons were targeted, aligning with the city's status as France's primary drug trafficking hub. While official attribution to the DZ Mafia hasn't surfaced yet, Marseille's historically powerful drug clans (often referred to as "narco-bands") may be involved through:
- Infiltration of prison personnel: Parliamentary reports confirm drug networks often recruit corrupt prison employees [1][3].
- Operation scale: Multi-city operations suggest nationwide trafficking network capabilities [2].
- "DDPF" ambiguity: Graffiti reading "Droit des Prisonniers Français" accompanied attacks, but authorities contend this slogan conceals drug traffickers' true motives [2]. To maintain operational secrecy, modern organized crime tends to employ hybrid methods, reflecting a combination of symbolic messaging and paramilitary-style violence.
Investigators believe the Marseille-centric attacks and the known dominance of drug clans in the region suggest potential involvement of such networks [1][3]. Authorities now seek international cooperation to apprehend fugitive kingpins [3].
- The recent prison attacks in France, initially perceived as a potential terrorist plot, are now being investigated as serious organized crime by the office for the fight against organized crime (JUNALCO).
- Among the twenty-one individuals arrested in connection with the attacks, one is suspected to be the developer of a Telegram account associated with the DDPF (Rights of French Prisoners) group, and is also believed to be involved in drug trafficking involving the DZ Mafia in Marseille.
- The tactics employed by the assailants display the telltale signs of organized crime, such as recruitment of operatives via online platforms and the promise of substantial compensation for participating in attacks.
- French authorities have established links between the recent coordinated prison attacks and drug trafficking networks in Marseille, with a focus on potential involvement of powerful drug clans in the region.
