The trial of Félix Bingui, also known as El Gato, commenced this Monday in Marseille, amidst significant security measures. Considered one of the most prominent drug traffickers in France prior to his arrest, Bingui was extradited from Morocco in January 2025. He is alleged to have been the leader of the Yoda clan, which lost its dominance to the rival DZ Mafia organization in a violent conflict in 2023 that resulted in at least 35 fatalities. This trial not only highlights the ongoing battle against drug-related crime in France but also underscores the complexities involved in labeling such criminal organizations. While authorities tend to refrain from using the term 'mafia'—often reserving it for Italian groups—they acknowledge the severe impacts that drug-related violence has had in cities like Marseille, drawing comparisons to crime-ridden locales such as Palermo and Naples during their most tumultuous eras. The escalating drug crime is expected to be a pivotal topic in the upcoming 2027 presidential campaign.
Bingui, now 35 years old, enjoyed a lavish lifestyle, frequently traveling between Dubai—where he holds residency—Thailand, the Costa del Sol, Morocco, and Marseille. His extravagant expenditures on fine dining, nightlife, and business-class air travel were made possible by substantial profits generated from drug sales in northern Marseille neighborhoods, particularly in La Fontaine, located in the La Paternelle suburb near the A7 motorway. On some days, his operations could reportedly net as much as €100,000.
Philippe Ohayon, Bingui's attorney, argued at the beginning of the proceedings that the allegations against his client may be compromised due to the use of illegal wiretaps and questionable investigative methods employed by three police officers involved in the case. Bingui, who could face a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, denies all charges against him. Previously, he was sentenced to six years in prison in 2024 for drug trafficking. He was transported to Marseille from a high-security prison in Pas-de-Calais, located in northern France. Alongside Bingui, 18 other alleged members of the Yoda clan are being tried, including two women, while two of the defendants remain at large.
Bingui's criminal career began at a young age, having moved to Marseille at the age of 12. His first incarceration was for violent robbery, transitioning from a gang of robbers to drug trafficking, which he found to be a more lucrative and stable enterprise. In court, he remarked, "I started young with bad company, but I have since made efforts to change." According to La Provence, Bingui owns a two-million-euro villa with a swimming pool in Dubai and another property valued at €900,000, both registered under the names of front individuals. He also spent time in Marbella with his wife and their three children.
In a twist of fate, Bingui and Abdelatif Laribi, the head of the DZ Mafia, reportedly encountered each other in a nightclub in Phuket, Thailand, in 2023, an altercation that is believed to have triggered the violent clash between their clans. Bingui's brother-in-law, Omar Benchia, was murdered in Salou, Tarragona, in May of that same year. Shortly after, Bingui narrowly escaped an assassination attempt while sitting on a café terrace. His eventual relocation to Morocco led to his arrest, which was hailed as a significant victory against drug trafficking by French Minister of Justice, Gérald Darmanin.
Coincidentally, Minister Darmanin is currently in Algeria, working to improve the often fraught relationship with the North African nation. He has traveled to Dubai multiple times to address concerns regarding the presence of French criminals in the United Arab Emirates and intends to seek cooperation from Algerian authorities in combating the DZ Mafia, now recognized as the most formidable drug trafficking group in France, led by individuals of Algerian descent.
As reported by lavanguardia.com.
