By: V4 Agency
As gang wars have become a regular occurrence and Chechens are in control of drug trafficking in many areas, public security appears to be deteriorating. In a bid to resolve the problem, one city has come up with the idea of hiring Chechen night guards to patrol its streets.
Public security in France appears to be deteriorating, with many residents barely having the courage to walk the streets in daytime, because rival gangs’ drug trafficking disputes and related turf wars have become a regular occurrence in several places.
The following video shared online shows a violent altercation between some one dozen youngsters on the courtyard of a building complex in Strasbourg’s Port du Rhin district, considered a “vulnerable” neighbourhood, according to the actu.fr news site.
A local resident confirmed that the situation was indeed worrying, saying that a shootout involving two men armed with machine guns took place in the area in October. The local man told the media that drug dealers going about their business often clash with Chechen gang members who want to seize control of the area’s drug market.
Disturbed local residents fearing for their own safety have teamed up to ensure the district’s public security. If they notice any aggression, they alert the police, which then mobilises numerous units to the scene. The increased presence of law enforcement officials was also confirmed by the police in Bas-Rhin departement.
Another big French city, Nantes, is also struggling with the growing violence and crime wave, which even the pandemic-related curfew has not managed to alleviate. As part of a groundbreaking idea by police, the city is now being patroled by a unit of five Chechen citizens at night, who try to spot suspicious activities. Although authorities are confident that the deployment of Chechen security guards will curb the city’s growing drug trafficking problem, so far it appears to have failed in deterring criminals. Police say last week saw a number of street brawls in the area, including fist fights and knife attacks. Although locals find the presence of Chechen security guards reassuring, police are sceptical that it will resolve the problem in the long run, according to the weekly Valeurs actuelles.