France‑Algeria drug trafficking crackdown

In late July 2026 Algerian authorities detained Mehdi Laribi, a Franco‑Algerian figure alleged to have founded the DZ Mafia, under a French arrest warrant. He was placed under judicial control rather than detention, reflecting Algeria’s policy of prosecuting its nationals on domestic soil.

Shortly thereafter, on 1 August 2026 Algeria announced a decree offering financial and non‑financial rewards to informants who aid in drug‑related investigations. The same day, police arrested Rachid Djeha, a senior member of the Marseille‑based DZ Mafia and brother of a known network leader. French officials praised the arrests as evidence of a revived security partnership between the two countries.

Together, the arrests and the new incentive scheme illustrate a heightened, coordinated effort by Algeria and France to combat trans‑national narcotics trafficking linked to the DZ Mafia.