A life sentence with a 22-year security period was requested on Sunday, April 12, 2026, against Gabriel Ory, the alleged leader of DZ Mafia, before the Aix-en-Provence Assize Court. The public prosecutor also requested 18 years of criminal imprisonment against a second alleged leader of the organization, according to Agence France-Presse, as reported by Mediapart, Le Parisien, and Ouest-France. Six men were on trial for the assassination in August 2019 of Marseille drug trafficker Farid Tir and another victim, in a settling of scores related to the control of drug trafficking in the northern districts of Marseille.
High-Security Trial
The trial, which opened on March 23, 2026, took place under exceptional security. Officers from the Regional Intervention and Security Teams (ERIS) were permanently deployed in the Aix-en-Provence courthouse. According to Le Parisien, the defendants, "with heavy criminal records, denied any involvement" in the double murder. The trial experienced several incidents, notably the refusal of some defendants to appear – a standoff described as a "masquerade" by the defense, reported Le Parisien in an article on March 27.
DZ Mafia: A Far-Reaching Network
DZ Mafia is one of the most feared criminal organizations in Marseille, involved in large-scale drug trafficking. The investigation, conducted by the Marseille Judicial Police and the JIRS (Interregional Specialized Jurisdiction), mobilized considerable re
Verdict Expected in Coming Days
The Assize Court's verdict is expected in the coming days, following the defense's closing arguments. This trial is part of an unprecedented judicial wave hitting Marseille against drug trafficking, following several high-profile trials in 2025 and 2026. The Marseille Public Prosecutor has repeatedly emphasized that the fight against drug networks constitutes "the absolute priority" of penal policy in the Bouches-du-Rhône, as the city continues to record a high number of fatal settling of scores.
