Nearly 100 arrested in Grenoble anti-drug operation spanning seven neighbourhoods

Multi-agency sweep

A police operation of "very large scale" unfolded from Monday to Thursday across seven neighbourhoods in Grenoble and Échirolles, all known for hosting drug-dealing points. Isère prefect Catherine Séguin told reporters that the simultaneous actions involved not only local and national police, backed by CRS riot units, but also inspectors from URSSAF, the departmental directorate of public finances, labour inspection, and the border police (PAF). The targeted zones were identified in a police graphic released during the operation.

Arrests and seizures

By Thursday's press briefing, nearly 100 people had been taken into custody, the vast majority for drug-trafficking offences. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced that eight of the detainees are suspected of belonging to a narcotics network and, in some cases, of committing acts of barbarism. An additional thirty or so arrests were made as part of the wider sweep. The operation also struck at the physical infrastructure of the drug trade: authorities removed 30 to 50 cubic metres of bulky waste, towed 32 decoy cars that had been strategically parked to obstruct police access, and erased 100 square metres of graffiti promoting drug sales or recruiting lookouts. Jérôme Chappa, interdepartmental director of the national police in Isère, said checks were carried out on squatted apartments and commercial premises used by traffickers.

A city under siege

Grenoble and its suburbs have been gripped by a turf war between drug gangs since late 2025. The violence has left ten people dead between December and January, often accompanied by acts of intimidation, including videos of brutal attacks shared online. Thursday's operation is one of the most extensive police responses since the conflict escalated, aiming to dismantle both the networks and the street-level conditions that allow them to operate.