French authorities announced on Saturday the arrest of Felix Bingui, 33, believed to be the leader of the notorious “Yoda” drug gang operating in Marseille, France’s second-largest city.
Bingui was apprehended in Casablanca, Morocco’s largest port city, following months of collaboration between French and Moroccan officials.
This arrest comes as a welcome development for Marseille, a city plagued by drug-related violence.
The city’s northern neighborhoods, known for their rundown streets, have become a hub for the narcotics trade.
Rival gangs, particularly Yoda and the DZ Mafia, have been locked in a bloody turf war for control of the lucrative drug market.
Marseille prosecutor Nicolas Bessone confirmed Bingui’s detention and highlighted the significance of the operation.
French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin echoed this sentiment, praising law enforcement officers and expressing gratitude to Moroccan authorities.
He described the arrest as “a big blow” to drug trafficking in the region.
This is not the first instance of successful cooperation between France and Morocco in tackling drug trafficking.
In 2023, notorious drug smuggler Karim Harrat was extradited from Morocco to France.
Bingui’s apprehension further strengthens this international partnership and offers hope for a decrease in drug-related violence in Marseille.
