Marseille faces a wave of shootings, drug trafficking, and police controversies

The French city of Marseille is dealing with a surge in violent crime and organized crime activity. Shootings have targeted an Orange telecommunications building, forcing the company to consider relocating its staff for safety. Police have also seized a record 16 tons of smuggled cigarettes at the port, and a major drug trafficker, Karim Harrat, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Local authorities are clashing over how to respond. The police prefecture has declared "war" on drug users, while the mayor, Benoît Payan, is disputing police patrol numbers. In a separate case, a police commander has been charged in connection with the beating of a man named Hedi. The city is also grappling with gang conflicts, including a war between the DZ Mafia and the "Blacks" of the Félix-Pyat housing project.