Judicial Police Chief: Six to Eight Leaders Control DZ Mafia
Christian Sainte, head of the French National Directorate of Judicial Police (DNPJ), revealed that the DZ Mafia, a major drug trafficking network based in Marseille, is controlled by six to eight key leaders. Speaking on RTL radio, Sainte highlighted the organization's extensive reach across more than ten French departments and its structure involving a clear hierarchy of heads and recruited soldiers. He noted a phenomenon of permanent generational renewal, with over 900 arrests and 550 imprisonments in the past two years, yet the network continues to replenish its ranks. While some leaders are incarcerated, others remain at large or abroad. The network employs hundreds of low-level operatives for tasks ranging from surveillance to contract killings, with payments varying between 2,000 and 5,000 euros per job. Sainte emphasized the massive scale of the illicit economy, estimating annual drug trafficking turnover at 7 to 10 billion euros, which facilitates corruption within both public administration and the private sector. Last year alone, authorities confiscated two billion euros in criminal assets, underscoring the financial power and systemic threat posed by this organized crime group.
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Judicial Police Chief: Six to Eight Leaders Control DZ Mafia
Christian Sainte, head of the French National Directorate of Judicial Police (DNPJ), revealed that the DZ Mafia, a major drug trafficking network based in Marseille, is controlled by six to eight key leaders. Speaking on RTL radio, Sainte highlighted the organization's extensive reach across more than ten French departments and its structure involving a clear hierarchy of heads and recruited soldiers. He noted a phenomenon of permanent generational renewal, with over 900 arrests and 550 imprisonments in the past two years, yet the network continues to replenish its ranks. While some leaders are incarcerated, others remain at large or abroad. The network employs hundreds of low-level operatives for tasks ranging from surveillance to contract killings, with payments varying between 2,000 and 5,000 euros per job. Sainte emphasized the massive scale of the illicit economy, estimating annual drug trafficking turnover at 7 to 10 billion euros, which facilitates corruption within both public administration and the private sector. Last year alone, authorities confiscated two billion euros in criminal assets, underscoring the financial power and systemic threat posed by this organized crime group.
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