Chaos in Marseille: Children Caught in Drug Gang Violence

Thu Dec 11 2025 10:39:35 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

As drug gangs spiral out of control, children are increasingly being drawn into the violence in Marseille, leading to a state of fear and panic among the community.

In Marseille, a shocking rise in drug gang violence has resulted in children increasingly becoming victims of horrific crimes. The recent murder of a teen and the rise of younger gang members have caused residents to feel panic and fear. While police attempt to combat the issue through aggressive tactics, community leaders stress the need for addressing the root causes, such as poverty and lack of opportunities, rather than just focusing on enforcement.

Warning: This article contains disturbing details from the start.

A group of children spotted Adel's body on their way to school, just as his parents were heading to the police station to report him missing. A grotesque, charred silhouette, reclining, with one knee raised, as if lounging on one of Marseille's nearby beaches.

He was 15 when he died, in the usual way: a bullet in the head, then petrol poured over his slim corpse and set on fire.

Someone even filmed the scene on the beach, the latest in a grim series of shoot-then-burn murders linked to this port city's fast-evolving drug wars, increasingly fuelled by social media and now marked by chillingly random acts of violence and by the growing role of children, often coerced into the trade.

It's chaos now, said a scrawny gang member, showing scars from past conflicts. France's Ministry of Justice indicates the number of teenagers in the drug trade has risen four-fold over the past eight years.

Local lawyers, politicians, and community organizers describe a psychose gripping the city, debating the necessity of tougher police action versus tackling entrenched poverty.

The murder of a young policeman, linked to the Kessaci family, sparked further community outrage as residents feel increasingly targeted and helpless.

Despite police raids, the drug industry, valued at €7bn, shows no signs of retreat, with gang recruitment now heavily reliant on social media, leading to younger and younger individuals becoming part of the violent trade.