2024-11-25 09:01:00
The Frais-Vallon district, in Marseille, in January 2024. VALLAURI NICOLAS/MAXPPP
With the drugs that they gave to their clients during the transactions, the two young dealers slipped in an SOS, a small note scribbled: “Hello, we are sequestered by the network. Please call the police. He forces us to sell for free and beats us with bars. Please we need help (we are 15 years old). » Despite these discreet calls for help, it was not a consumer who rescued them from the clutches of the Frais-Vallon network, but the firefighters, after they had jumped from the second floor of a tower to escape to their captors.
The Bouches-du-Rhône Assize Court will judge, from Monday, November 25, six young people from Marseille for the kidnapping and violence inflicted over several days on two 16-year-old teenagers, forcibly recruited to sell drugs. Three of the accused – they are all in their twenties – also answer for rape of one of the two victims.
Both runaways, Younes and Kevin – the first names have been changed – showed up on January 21, 2022 in Frais-Vallon, a city in the northern districts of Marseille, to sell drugs. A member of the network promises them remuneration of 100 euros per day and accommodation in “a hotel with a jacuzzi”. At the end of the session, the tone changes suddenly, the two teenagers are accused of a 500 euro hole in the accounts, the first blows rain down on the deal point, at the foot of the “red tower”. In a room where they are taken, “from three, they went to a good ten and they played with us”Younes said. “We were pissing blood”reported Kevin, forced to get naked and dance in front of phones filming him for social networks.
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An anonymous tip to the police indicated that the two young boys had been forced to perform oral sex on each other, which they disputed. “I would have gone for revenge if that had been it. Now, I don’t even want revenge. The blows go away. We were the ones who made idiots of going to work in their neighborhood”explained Younes. The teenager will no longer respond to any summons from investigators or the investigating judge. He had not looked his torturers in the eyes so as not to be able to identify them. A year after the events, Younes’ father requested the withdrawal of his son’s complaint “for fear of being found and attacked again”.
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How can local communities and authorities better support at-risk youths to prevent their exploitation by drug gangs?
**Interview with Dr. Alain Rousseau, Sociologist and Expert on Urban Crime in Marseille**
**Editor:** Good morning, Dr. Rousseau. Thank you for joining us today to discuss the troubling situation in Marseille, particularly in the Frais-Vallon district. Can you tell us about the recent case involving two teenagers who were forcibly recruited to sell drugs?
**Dr. Rousseau:** Good morning, and thank you for having me. The case you’ve mentioned is quite alarming and underscores a distressing trend in Marseille’s drug trafficking landscape. In January 2024, two 16-year-olds managed to send out an SOS while being coerced into drug dealing. Despite their desperate plea, it was firefighters who ultimately rescued them after they jumped from a second-floor window to escape their captors.
**Editor:** That’s shocking. What do you think drives these young people to become involved in such dangerous environments?
**Dr. Rousseau:** There are multiple factors at play. For many young individuals in districts like Frais-Vallon, poverty and lack of opportunities often push them into the drug trade. They may be seeking financial security, or they might feel compelled by criminal networks that prey on vulnerable youth, offering them a sense of belonging or quick money, while simultaneously subjecting them to violence and exploitation.
**Editor:** You mentioned exploitation. Can you elaborate on the legal aspects of this recent case? What kind of charges are the accused facing?
**Dr. Rousseau:** Certainly. The Bouches-du-Rhône Assize Court is currently processing this case, where six individuals are charged with kidnapping and violence against the two teenagers. Notably, three of them are also accused of rape, highlighting the severe nature of the crimes involved. This reflects a broader pattern of brutal tactics used by gangs to secure control over drug operations, often at the expense of young lives.
**Editor:** Given the rise in violence among rival gangs in Marseille, as seen recently with a surge in murders and arrests, how does this influence the safety and well-being of local communities?
**Dr. Rousseau:** The violence among gangs is indeed escalating, and it has significant implications for community safety. With over 1,144 drug dealers arrested and numerous drug dealing spots dismantled in recent years, the authorities are responding, but the brutality of gang warfare is creating an environment of fear. Innocent civilians often find themselves caught in the crossfire, and neighborhoods can become extremely unsafe.
**Editor:** What can be done to help these at-risk youths and to curb this cycle of violence and exploitation?
**Dr. Rousseau:** Solutions must be multifaceted. First, we need stronger community support systems to provide alternatives for young people, such as job training and educational opportunities. Engaging local organizations to work alongside law enforcement can help build trust and break the cycle of fear. Additionally, addressing underlying social issues, such as poverty and disenfranchisement, is essential for sustainable change.
**Editor:** Thank you for your insights, Dr. Rousseau. It’s clear that addressing these challenges will require a concerted effort from both community leaders and law enforcement.
**Dr. Rousseau:** Absolutely. Collaboration and commitment are key to reclaiming neighborhoods like Frais-Vallon from the grip of violence and crime.
**Editor:** Thank you once again for joining us today, and for shedding light on such an important issue.
