France: Shootings in Sète and Toulouse linked to drug trafficking

Recent shootings in Sète and Toulouse highlight ongoing violence linked to drug trafficking in southern France.

In Sète, an armed attack occurred on September 12 in the Zup neighborhood on Île de Thau. A man with a criminal record was lightly injured when he was targeted by gunfire on Avenue Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Following the incident, police arrested three suspects. On September 16, these individuals were placed in pre-trial detention. The Montpellier Division of Organized and Specialized Crime (DCOS) is investigating whether the attack was a territorial dispute over a lucrative drug dealing point or linked to national criminal organizations.

In Toulouse, gunfire was reported on the evening of September 14 in the Mirail district near Impasse du Bachaga Boualam. While no injuries were reported, a 33-year-old suspect known to police was taken into custody. This incident follows a series of fatal shootings in the area, including the deaths of an 18-year-old in Bellefontaine on September 15 and a 23-year-old in La Faourette earlier in the month. Local residents have launched a petition in response to the escalating gang violence.