Inside the French drug gangs recruiting children to kill
Summary
A BBC investigation describes how drug gangs in Marseille recruit vulnerable young people with promises of paid work, then trap them in drug dealing and violence. A court heard that two 15-year-old boys were beaten and abused after joining a gang; six men were later sentenced in connection with their treatment.Key Facts
- In 2022, a woman who bought hashish from a teenage dealer called police after he passed her a note asking for help.
- The court heard that two 15-year-old boys had sought paid work with a gang and were assigned drug-related tasks.
- Gang members accused the boys of missing money, then beat them and subjected them to abuse, including sexual violence.
- The boys tried to escape through a second-storey window; one was caught, beaten and stabbed, but survived.
- Six men have been sentenced for their treatment of the two boys.
- The article identifies DZ Mafia as a powerful Marseille gang that grew prominent in 2023 and used social media videos to promote its image.
- France’s anti-drug trafficking unit chief said the number of cocaine users in France is expected to reach two million, up from 600,000 in 2017.
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