Valence: Ten suspected contract killers arrested before raid – investigators see link to drug-related violence

Valence – 01.07.2026: In the Drôme, investigators, according to the Valence public prosecutor’s office, have arrested ten people suspected of being contract killers. The accused were heavily armed; the arrests followed months of investigations in several towns in the region. The authority named concrete allegations and investigative steps only sparingly so as not to jeopardize the ongoing investigations.

According to investigators, the operation is part of a broader context of violence linked to the drug trade. In the night of 29 June, an arson attack was carried out in a residential building on Route de Montélier in Valence; 14 people were injured at the time. Firefighters and police are treating it as an intentional act, and the local public prosecutor’s office has included the link to the drug scene in its investigations.

On site, residents report increased fear and a rise in armed incidents in recent weeks. The prefecture and the municipality deployed additional police forces to the neighborhood after the fire; according to media reports, the CRS 83 was temporarily assigned to support. City councilors and the mayor condemned the violence and demanded rapid clarification and lasting security measures.

The Valence public prosecutor’s office emphasized that it is examining connections to regional and supra-regional drug trafficking networks. According to official statements, criminal allegations range from forming a criminal organization to attempted murder and illegal possession of weapons. Investigators are reportedly cooperating with the organized crime division and regional gendarmerie units.

Legally, the arrested persons are so far suspects; formal charges or orders for pretrial detention have not yet been conclusively disclosed in the released information. Authorities announced they will secure evidence and weapons and push the proceedings forward in a focused manner. Statements from possible victims or witnesses are currently being recorded in writing.

According to security experts, the arrests show that searches and coordination between police departments are increasing. Nevertheless, many questions remain open: who commissioned the alleged perpetrators, how are the structures organized, and how closely are they connected to cross-border smugglers? The judiciary intends to systematically follow the traces.

For the residents of Valence, the experience of recent days remains vivid: a fire, injured people and now large-scale arrests. The public prosecutor’s office announced that it will continue to inform the public as the investigation progresses and the rights of those involved are preserved.