Suspected Co-Founder of the DZ Mafia Arrested in Algeria

Marseille – 05.08.2026: The arrest of Mehdi Laribi in Algeria is an important step for the Marseille public prosecutor’s office in the fight against organized drug trafficking. Prosecutor Nicolas Bessone said on Wednesday that he was satisfied with the operation. French investigators regard Laribi as a key figure and suspected co-founder of the DZ Mafia. He is presumed innocent until a final conviction is secured.

The 36-year-old, also known by the nickname Tic, was arrested in Algeria on 20 July on the basis of a French arrest warrant, according to Bessone. The following day, the local authorities placed him under judicial supervision. Laribi is therefore not in French custody. No initial details were provided on how further proceedings between France and Algeria are expected to unfold.

The arrest warrant stems from an investigation known as Operation Octopus. Investigating judges in Marseille are conducting extensive proceedings into suspected structures of the DZ Mafia. Laribi is accused, among other things, of leading a criminal organization for the purpose of drug trafficking, drug-law offenses, criminal conspiracy and money laundering. No court has yet ruled on the allegations.

According to French investigators’ findings, Laribi is believed to have lived abroad for years. Consistent media reports indicate that he holds both French and Algerian citizenship. Authorities therefore regard his detention primarily as the result of cross-border judicial cooperation. France had submitted several cooperation requests to North African states in connection with suspected members of the group’s leadership.

As part of Operation Octopus, around 40 people had already been arrested during a large-scale operation in southern France in March 2026. They included several individuals whom authorities associate with the leadership level of the DZ Mafia. According to the public prosecutor’s office, 26 suspects in this case were charged or placed under judicial supervision; 15 of them were remanded in custody.

The investigation concerns suspected drug deliveries, financial flows and communication channels of a network believed to have originated in Marseille. According to the Gendarmerie, the investigation is based on findings from February 2024. At the time, investigators pursued indications that operators of drug-selling locations may have regularly reported to an imprisoned person linked to the group.

French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin publicly thanked the Algerian authorities for the arrest and their cooperation. In Marseille, where violent disputes over drug markets have burdened residential neighborhoods for years, the operation is initially an investigative success. Laribi’s further legal status in Algeria is not yet known.