The leader of the “Yoda” clan, Félix Bingui, was arrested in Casablanca, Morocco, Friday at 7 p.m. This is what franceinfo learned this Saturday from a source close to the matter. The man is at the head of one of the most powerful criminal gangs in the drug trafficking sector in Marseille, opposed to another gang nicknamed “DZ Mafia”.
The French authorities had issued an arrest warrant targeting Félix Bingui in the summer of 2023. According to franceinfo, to locate him, the Moroccan authorities worked in conjunction with the National Fugitive Search Brigade. He will be “extradited quickly“, specified a source close to the matter.
In a message on X (formerly Twitter), Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin welcomed this inquiry: “One of Marseille’s biggest drug traffickers was arrested in Morocco. Bravo to the police officers who tirelessly continue the fight against drug trafficking. A big blow has been dealt today to drug banditry thanks to our cooperation with the Moroccan authorities, whom I thank.”
“Remarkable cooperation from the Moroccan authorities”
The Marseille prosecutor’s office confirms in a press release this Saturday noon his arrest “on an arrest warrant from a Marseille chief investigating judge” following: “importation of narcotics by an organized gang”, “transport, detention, acquisition, transfer of narcotics”, “criminal association with a view to committing a crime and an offense punishable by ten years of imprisonment” and “money laundering and non-justification of resources”.
“This arrest is the result of remarkable cooperation from the Moroccan authorities who carried out his arrest and the meticulous and tireless work of the French Anti-Narcotics Office, the fugitives brigade of the Central Crime Control Office organized and of the PJ of Marseille on mandate of the judicial authority”welcomed Nicolas Bessone, public prosecutor of Marseille, in this press release.
The mayor of Marseille welcomed a major arrest to weaken trafficking: “Tackling the head of the octopus is the priority. Today, a major blow has been dealt to international drug trafficking. I congratulate all the police and justice forces who are mobilizing tirelessly”reacted Benoît Payan.
Two rival clans in Marseille
Last year, “70%” of “narchomicides” or attempted homicides by an organized gang in Marseille were linked to the dispute between the two clans“DZ Mafia” and “Yoda”, with a “very strong peak” in August, the prosecutor indicated last December. It was within the framework of this rivalry that the brother-in-law of Félix Bingui, as well as another member of the Yoda clan, were assassinated in Salou, Spain, in May 2023. Nine people were indicted in this case at the beginning of January.
In 2023, 49 people were killed in Bouches-du-Rhône amid drug trafficking, according to the police headquarters.