On April 24, 2025, French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau announced the arrest of 21 high-level drug traffickers in Marseille as part of a significant operation against narcobanditism.

The operation targeted high-level traffickers involved in a significant drug network operating from the Castellane neighborhood, which is notorious for drug-related issues.

This crackdown involved 170 investigators, including special forces from the Raid and support from Europol, highlighting the extensive reach of the network beyond Marseille.

Retailleau emphasized that those arrested are not minor players but major leaders within the narcotics trade, indicating their significant role in organized crime.

Police intelligence revealed that drug dealing sites in Castellane were generating estimated daily revenues between €65,000 and €110,000, underscoring the scale of the operation.

Details about the suspects and the ongoing investigations were withheld at the request of the public prosecutor, indicating that further legal actions are anticipated.

Retailleau clarified that these arrests were not connected to recent attacks on prison staff and facilities, reaffirming the government's commitment to combating organized crime.

The arrests were part of a broader investigation that also included elements of money laundering, indicating the complexity of the criminal operations.

In addition to the arrests, several businesses suspected of laundering substantial drug profits were also targeted during the operation.

This operation followed a previous public security initiative on April 23, 2025, where nearly 1,000 police officers conducted extensive checks in Marseille, resulting in 106 additional arrests.

Georges-François Leclerc, the prefect of the Bouches-du-Rhône, indicated that this operation is part of a broader effort, promising further actions against drug trafficking in the region.

The Castellane area has been under increased police scrutiny since President Emmanuel Macron's visit in March 2024, where he initiated extensive anti-trafficking operations.