Resolution on the murder of Mehdi Kessaci: urgent need for ambitious European action against drug trafficking
The European Parliament adopted a resolution on the murder of Mehdi Kessaci: urgent need for ambitious European action against drug trafficking.
The text adopted in plenary was tabled by the EPP, S&D, Renew, Greens/EFA and The Left groups.
20-year-old Mehdi Kessaci, a French national unknown to the police other than for having applied to become a police officer, was murdered in broad daylight on a Marseille street on 13 November 2025 in the context of drug-related violence. Mehdi Kessaci was the brother of Amine Kessaci, an anti-drug activist, author and recognised figure in civic mobilisation against organised crime. According to Parliament, he was undoubtedly murdered because of this family link. This murder is part of a pattern of drug-related violence in Marseille, which saw 24 people murdered in 2024 and 49 victims in 2023, affecting an increasing number of minors and innocent people.
Against this background, Parliament condemned, in the strongest possible terms, the murder of Mehdi Kessaci and expressed its deep sympathy and sincere condolences to his parents and to his family and loved ones, and, through them, to all the direct and indirect victims of drug trafficking in Europe and throughout the world.
Moreover, Members paid tribute to the commitment of Amine Kessaci, the ‘Conscience’ association and all activists who, often at risk to their own safety, are working to tackle drug trafficking.
EU action
The resolution welcomed the adoption of the new EU drugs strategy and its action plan and reiterated support for a balanced approach based on demand reduction, judicial and police cooperation, cooperation with third countries and prevention, including online.
Member States are called on to adopt zero-tolerance policies on driving under the influence of drugs and to make full use of the cross-border tools available to enforce these rules.
Members support key measures such as strengthening public-private cooperation to improve the detection of drugs smuggled through postal and parcel delivery services, as well as the development of a new European strategy for ports to increase the security and resilience of ports and supply chains against drug trafficking.
Parliament also called for a strengthening of the human, material and technological resources allocated to external border controls in the fight against trafficking in arms, human beings and drugs and of joint cross-border law enforcement operations, particularly in hotspots such as Marseille, Le Havre, Antwerp, Rotterdam and Hamburg, in close coordination with the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, Europol, Eurojust and the EUDA, in order to dismantle the criminal networks behind the shootings, killings and intimidation taking place across Europe.
In addition, schemes to confiscate criminal assets and tackle tax havens should be improved. Measures should be put in place to allow confiscated property to be allocated for social purposes, including to grassroots organisations fighting against the territorial grip of drug trafficking, as is the case in Italy, as well as to the authorities most exposed to drug-related violence or to judicial and customs investigation services.
The resolution called for:
- more human resources assigned to local police forces, specialised police forces and courts dedicated to combating drug trafficking, including anti-money laundering courts;
- the fight against drug trafficking to be made a priority of the European Union Customs Authority and for customs agencies to be given the same tools as port staff;
- the full integration of the protection of minors against recruitment by criminal networks into drug policies;
- a European coordination of best practices on the protection of victims and witnesses, taking into account the often precarious social and economic situation of the families concerned.