ALES, France — The mayor of the southern French city of Alès has been placed under police protection after authorities received intelligence indicating a possible imminent attack by the DZ Mafia drug-trafficking group, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said on Tuesday.
Christophe Rivenq was taken from his home during the night and moved to a secure location after authorities assessed the threat as credible, according to officials. The case has been taken over by France's National Prosecutor's Office for the Fight Against Organized Crime, known as PNACO.
Rivenq had already been threatened earlier in July. PNACO said bullets were found in his mailbox and threatening graffiti was discovered on the walls of his home. The authorities have attributed the threats to individuals claiming to represent the DZ Mafia, but the authenticity of that claim remains under investigation.
"Alès is clearly a place where the DZ Mafia is trying to establish a foothold," Nunez told reporters, according to Reuters.
The DZ Mafia originated in Marseille, about 160 km (100 miles) south of Alès, and has expanded its influence beyond the city, according to French authorities. The group has become a major focus of the government's efforts to combat organized drug crime.
The protection of Rivenq comes as France grapples with an expansion of the illicit drugs market and increasingly violent clashes between criminal networks. Officials have warned that drug trafficking is no longer confined to France's largest cities and has spread into smaller urban areas.
France's illicit drug market nearly tripled in estimated value between 2010 and 2023, reaching about 6.8 billion euros ($7.9 billion), according to a report published in 2025 by the French Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction.
Authorities have not publicly established who sent the threats against Rivenq or whether the DZ Mafia itself was responsible. The investigation is being conducted under the direction of PNACO, which was created to strengthen the national response to organized crime and drug trafficking.
The mayor's removal from his home and placement under protection highlights the growing security concerns surrounding local officials confronting drug trafficking networks, although attacks directly targeting elected officials remain uncommon in France.
The investigation into the threats is ongoing, with PNACO now overseeing the case alongside specialized judicial authorities.
