Beneath the Slopes: Grenoble’s Drug War and the Exploitation of Children

Grenoble — famed for its ski resorts and nicknamed France’s Silicon Valley — is quietly grappling with a violent drugs conflict that has spilled into its streets, sometimes with tragic consequences for children. Behind the postcard alpine scenes, organised trafficking networks have turned parts of the city into open battlegrounds.

In a recent attack at about 3 a.m., a 13‑year‑old migrant boy believed to be called Chaouki was shot three times in the back and legs. He remains in critical condition. Authorities say he was likely recruited in Paris and brought to Grenoble to act as a courier; police suspect a rival gang carried out the attack. Chaouki is one of three boys shot in the city in the past year, and one of those victims died from a gunshot wound to the head.

Local officers say it is now routine to detain boys as young as 12 or 13 who are used as lookouts or to deliver drugs to tourists. "We’ve seen a big shift," says Étienne Manteaux, Grenoble’s public prosecutor. Traffickers previously relied on local youth, but prosecutors say gangs now increasingly recruit undocumented foreign children who are more vulnerable to exploitation and less known to authorities.

"They are a workforce that can be exploited at will. It’s bordering on human trafficking,"

— Étienne Manteaux, Grenoble prosecutor.

Aid workers put the point more bluntly. Stéphane Dezalay calls these unaccompanied minors “perfect cannon fodder.” One undocumented young person described the pitch: "They offered me €100 to work from 8 a.m. to midnight. You just sit there and shout if the police come."

Although Marseille has long been France’s best‑known drugs hub, recent data and incidents have put Grenoble in a worrying spotlight. The city recorded 48 shootings in 2024 and seven drug‑related murders in 15 months. Per‑capita crime figures cited in local analyses show Grenoble at 93.9 crimes per 1,000 inhabitants versus Marseille’s 73.5. Prosecutors report roughly 28 major trafficking locations in the greater Grenoble area, with some points reportedly taking in up to €10,000 a day.

For decades the local underworld was dominated by the so‑called "Italo‑Grenoblois" network. That era ended violently in March when 71‑year‑old Jean‑Pierre Maldera, long described as a local godfather, was gunned down. Authorities say a new generation — often described as locally raised figures of north African origin — is fighting to control lucrative supply chains.

Violence has become more audacious: an unarmed municipal worker was shot dead while trying to stop a fleeing convicted dealer, and a hooded 17‑year‑old reportedly hurled a grenade into a bar, injuring multiple people. Prosecutors describe traffickers using military‑grade weapons and taking sophisticated steps to commercialise sales — from branded merchandise to flyers with QR codes that link customers to social media ordering channels and home delivery services.

In some districts dealers operate openly, even within sight of police stations. Residents and local charities report that drug points can be active for minutes at a time, with dozens of transactions observable during short periods. Claude Jacquier, director of an anti‑discrimination charity, says he was attacked after trying to stop dealers using residential flats.

The municipal response has been politically divisive. Mayor Éric Piolle, who opposed arming municipal police and has been sceptical of adding CCTV, says most residents do not encounter dealers in daily life. Critics accuse the mayor of denying the scope of the problem and say reduced surveillance has made enforcement harder. Former mayor Alain Carignon, running for office again, has promised more cameras, a central command centre and extra municipal police if elected.

At the national level, authorities are planning new measures. A national narcotics prosecutor will be created next January under a new narco‑trafficking law, and local officials hope this will improve coordination. Ofast, France’s anti‑narcotics office, estimates that fewer than ten major organisations now handle most cocaine imports into the country, a consolidation some experts liken to a "French cocaine cartel." International supply lines — including shipments through European ports — feed local turf wars.

Mafia expert Roberto Saviano has warned that France has struggled to confront organised drug crime after decades of inattention. Prosecutor Manteaux has spoken of traffickers attempting to "install a counter‑society" and stressed that demand from urban, affluent consumers helps finance the violence.

Local enforcement plans emphasize both repression and prevention. Prosecutors say they will target buyers — including students and professionals — with fines, rehabilitation requirements and criminal sanctions in some cases. Ski resort operators are being warned not to allow the slopes and resort towns to become "blind spots" for supply: purchasers caught on the slopes face penalties.

"Enjoy the slopes, but don’t buy drugs," Manteaux says. "We will come after the supply and the sellers, and we will seek to protect the vulnerable who are being exploited to run these networks."