In Marseille, “narcotourism” to finance your vacation

At the Marseille courthouse, magistrates call them "narcotourists," others speak of "holidaymakers ." A purely summer phenomenon, the court regularly tries, in immediate appearances, young people arrested at a drug sales point who, once in police custody or at the hearing, claim to have come to Marseille on vacation.

They alternate between the beach and drug deals to finance their stay, occasionally lending a hand to a network in the city center or a housing project in the northern districts of the city. "The vacation explanation comes up regularly," confirms Nicolas Ruby, head of the emergency department of the Marseille prosecutor's office. Some of these "seasonal workers" sometimes start as soon as they arrive at Saint-Charles station because they are looking for accommodation, others when money starts to run out. A day's work as a "charneur" - seller - earns between 100 and 200 euros, that of a "chouf" - lookout - between 80 and 120 euros.

A., a 22-year-old boy from Poitiers, in the Vienne department, presented himself as a tourist when, on August 15, police officers carrying out surveillance in the Cité du Mail ( ^14th arrondissement) stopped him, wearing an OM jersey. "I've been in Marseille for a week, I came with a little pocket money and since the day before yesterday, I've had no more money. I wanted to return to Poitiers, so I contacted a friend of mine in Marseille to ask him if he knew of a housing project where I could act as a lookout to get a ticket and go home."

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