Ministers of the Interior Bruno Retailleau and Justice Didier Migaud are in Marseille on Friday November 8 to announce measures to step up the fight against drug trafficking, a growing scourge against which the French government is calling for “general mobilization”..

The two men chose to unveil their plan against organized crime in the Phocaean city, the scene of a bloody turf war between drug gangs. “The threat has grown and requires the state to arm itself further”.said the French Minister of Justice in an interview with La Provence Friday, who wants “act immediately to provide a firm response”.. “Cocaine seizures have increased fivefold in ten years, the hardest drugs are available on all territories and all the time. The rejuvenation of those who kill and are killed is appalling. Drug trafficking is a root cause of violence and corruption”.Bruno Retailleau added.

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National coordination unit” set up

In Marseille on Friday, French Justice Minister Didier Migaud announced the creation of a “national coordination unit”. “in the coming weeks”. a “national coordination unit to combat “scourge” of drug trafficking.

“In the coming weeks, in the presence of the Prime Minister, I will set up a national coordination unit to assess the threat, establish an operational strategy and implement it.”he said at a press conference with Bruno Retailleau (Interior Minister), adding that “the teams of the Paris public prosecutor’s office working on the fight against organized crime at national level (would be) thus reinforced by 40%”..

Drug crimes tried by professional magistrates?

Didier Migaud said on Friday that he was considering the trial of “organized gang crimes including drug-related crimes, by special assize courts made up entirely of professional magistrates, in the same way as for terrorism cases.

Use only professional judges rather than the popular juries that normally make up assize courts. would “remove the risk of pressure being exerted on jurors to influence the final judicial decision”.said the Minister of Justice at a joint press conference with Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau.