In the southern French port city of Marseille, three men were killed in three shootings in the drug milieu on Monday night. Eight other men were injured by gunshots, two of them critically, police prefect Frédérique Camilleri told BFMTV on Monday. The dead were therefore aged 16, 23 and 29 years. Some of the victims were known to the police, others were not. It is not yet clear why exactly those involved were shot.

There is extensive drug trafficking in Marseille, said the prefect. "These shootings are, that's the only thing that is clear at the moment, in an obvious connection with drug trafficking." There is rampant use of firearms by drug dealers, who also target youth involved in the trade. "Drugs kill, and mostly kill in Marseille." Four people were injured in a shooting at a grocery store in the city on Saturday night. However, the authorities have recently been trying to fight the trade more effectively with concentrated police action.