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France's drug wars

Summary

3 September 2012

A French senator has called for the army to be brought in to restore order in France's second city Marseille after two people were killed in a battle over drugs. The latest victim is the nineteenth so far this year and most of the shootings are carried out with machine guns.

Reporter:

Chris Bockman

Report

France's second city is in the grip of a violent turf war over drugs. It's not new but it's getting worse all the time. 19 people have now been killed in the Marseille region this year alone, two this week. The police say nearly all the killings¹ are carried out by rival drug dealers² on the gritty housing estates in the north of the city, using machine guns from eastern Europe bought on the black market. 

While the government quickly ruled out sending in the military, the prime minister has announced an urgent meeting will be held next week to examine the situation in France's second-biggest city.

The illegal drug trade used to be run by the Marseille and Corsican underworld. However, the authorities say they have now been replaced by far more ruthless and reckless French youths of North African origin who see drugs as a quick route out of poverty.

With drug dealing³ the biggest single employer on many housing estates, the police say no matter how many people are arrested there are always youths ready to fill the vacuum.

1 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。

2 dealers   

n.商人( dealer的名词复数 )；贩毒者；毒品贩子；发牌者

参考例句：

• There was fast bidding between private collectors and dealers. 私人收藏家和交易商急速竞相喊价。
• The police were corrupt and were operating in collusion with the drug dealers. 警察腐败，与那伙毒品贩子内外勾结。

3 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。