LThe murder of young Mehdi Kessaci is horrific, and his brother Amine’s determination not to remain silent inspires admiration. Society as a whole must recognize the seriousness of this issue and support it. Because violence in the drug trade is just the tip of the iceberg, we are all concerned. Traffickers exploit the social poverty of abandoned neighborhoods and the confusion of young people who feel marginalized and to whom they offer the promise of unexpected uplift. They thrive on consumer dependence, which is not limited to that “inner city bourgeoisie”, as suggested by the president, Emmanuel Macron, and the incomprehension of much of the political class. The permanent increase in repressive measures is a symptom of the inability to address the multiple causes, especially social ones, of this systemic problem and its consequences for health and the economy.
In the media in recent days, French organizations involved in drug trafficking have increasingly been equated with the mafia, stating stereotypical and false common characteristics, such as the pyramid command model. The similarities between Marseille and Palermo in the 1980s are many. The seriousness of the current events does require us to try to define the phenomena we are facing, but most importantly, this requires us to propose collective responses that are appropriate to the existing challenges. It is here, in addition to thinking about the evolution of our legislative and judicial models, that the Italian example should inspire us.
What is important is not knowing the mafia nature – or not – of the criminal organization, but rather analyzing the circulation of mafia methods. The absence of a law in France that legally defines mafia associations as in Italy makes the use of the term mafia useless. However, the use of violence, diversification of criminal activities beyond drug trafficking, investment in the legal economy, the corrupt power of these organizations and the capacity of network leaders to handle drug trafficking and sponsor murders from abroad – unthinkable for traditional mafias because the leader’s authority is measured by his or her territory – are clearly signs of increasing power that need to be taken into account.
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