Alès Mayor receives support from Gérald Darmanin amid DZ Mafia threats

French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin visited Alès to support Mayor Christophe Rivenq, who has been targeted by death threats attributed to the Marseille-based criminal group DZ Mafia. Rivenq has been under police protection since July following intimidation tactics, including the receipt of bullets in an envelope and threatening graffiti.

Darmanin expressed confidence in the ongoing investigation led by the National Anti-Crime Prosecutor's Office (Parquet national anticriminalité), stating that judicial police work is progressing and that the threats may be resolved in the coming weeks.

The mayor noted that while the situation is difficult for his family, he remains undeterred in his daily duties. The criminal group's activities in the region are linked to attempts to establish dominance over local drug trafficking networks, a conflict that has resulted in several shootings and fatalities in the area.