
On Wednesday, the Marseille Criminal Court handed down its verdict in the high-profile case of the Prado-Carénage tunnel. The case, which involved gang violence and a deadly confrontation, resulted in prison sentences ranging from 2 to 10 years for the defendants.
The trial, which took place over three days, saw the prosecution push for harsher penalties, originally seeking 10 to 15 years behind bars for those involved. However, the court’s final ruling resulted in slightly lighter sentences. All five individuals linked to the “Blacks” gang received prison terms between 2 and 10 years, with the lead defendant facing a security measure that requires them to serve two-thirds of their sentence before being eligible for parole.
The case centered around a violent clash between two rival gangs, known as the “Blacks” and the “Gytans,” with tensions fueled by drug trafficking disputes. In the incident, two members of the “Gytans” were killed during a pursuit in the Prado-Carénage tunnel on the night of November 9-10, 2015. While investigators could not conclusively determine who the shooters were, the court found enough evidence to convict the defendants of criminal conspiracy.
In addition to the prison sentences, the court imposed several additional measures. Two of the surviving members of the “Gytans” gang were sentenced to three and five years in prison, respectively. Arrest warrants were issued for three individuals who did not attend the court’s deliberation, and the convicted parties were also banned from residing in four departments of the region for a period of five years.
Although the charges brought against the defendants were tied to criminal association rather than direct involvement in the murders, the trial highlights the continuing issue of drug-related violence in Marseille.
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