Major Police Operation 'Octopus' Leads to 26 Indictments in DZ Mafia Crackdown

The ongoing law enforcement crackdown against the DZ Mafia narcocriminal network known as Operation 'Octopus' has resulted in 26 individuals being formally charged, with 15 placed in provisional detention. This large-scale operation, carried out by the Marseille gendarmerie's research section and meticulously prepared by judges from the specialized interregional jurisdiction, led to the arrest of 42 suspects across multiple departments including Bouches-du-Rhône, Var, Vaucluse, and Gard.

Among those charged, nine are women, highlighting an emerging trend of women's increasing roles in narcobanditism as noted by authorities. Twenty of the arrested originate from Marseille, underscoring the group's significant local presence in drug trafficking.

A noteworthy development involves the arrest and incarceration of a Lyon-based lawyer suspected of corruption for facilitating communication between a detained DZ Mafia leader and the outside world. This leader, who is held in a high-security prison designed to isolate drug traffickers, is believed to have maintained contact through the lawyer’s open telephone line, privileged correspondence, or computer access. The lawyer was initially defending one of the suspected leaders linked to a 2019 double homicide.

Prosecutor Nicolas Bessone emphasized the operation's goal to dismantle this organized crime network. Additionally, five of the detainees are already imprisoned, with four in high-security facilities. The operation reflects intensified efforts to combat narcotraffic and organized crime within the Marseille region and surrounding departments.