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Marseille's youth drug war: Children as killers
11 Dec
Summary
- A 15-year-old boy was murdered and burned on a beach.
- Teenage involvement in drug trade has quadrupled in eight years.
- Gang members cite anarchy and lack of rules in escalating violence.
Marseille is embroiled in a rapidly escalating drug war, disturbingly fueled by social media and the increasing use of children in criminal activities. The recent discovery of a 15-year-old boy's charred body on a beach, a result of a bullet to the head followed by incineration, starkly illustrates the brutal nature of these conflicts.
This represents a chilling evolution in the violence, with children often coerced into the trade and committing acts of violence. Authorities note a significant rise, with the number of teenagers involved in the drug trade quadrupling over the past eight years.
Those entrenched in the gangs describe a breakdown of order, where traditional codes have vanished. They lament how leaders exploit younger individuals, paying them meager sums and drawing them into deadly disputes, resulting in widespread anarchy across the city.
