A young man in his twenties was placed under formal investigation in Paris as part of an ongoing judicial inquiry into threats targeting Christophe Rivenq, the mayor of Alès in the Gard department of southern France. According to a judicial source cited by Agence France-Presse on Tuesday, September 29, the investigation is being conducted by the National Anticriminality Prosecutor's Office (Pnaco). The mayor had previously received death threats in July 2023, during a period of heightened tensions related to the fight against drug trafficking in the area. The suspect voluntarily went to the Alès police station, where he was placed in provisional custody after being held for 96 hours in police custody. The situation was deemed urgent enough to warrant an emergency extraction by the RAID, a specialized unit of the French gendarmerie responsible for high-risk operations. This operation took place during the night of July 20 to 21, 2023, when the mayor was at his home with his wife. Following the extraction, Christophe Rivenq was placed under constant police protection due to the severity of the threats. On July 16, 2023, threats were discovered at the mayor's residence, accompanied by messages that referenced the DZ Mafia, a criminal group known for operating in the Cévennes region. Investigators found two 9mm caliber bullets and inscriptions on the wall of the mayor's home, including the letters "DZNG" (interpreted as "DZ Mafia new generation"), "CVN" (meaning "Cévennes neighborhood in Alès, taken over by the DZ Mafia"), and "FDP" or "NTM," which are acronyms often used in the region to refer to the DZ Mafia. These findings contributed to the decision to extract the mayor for his safety. According to judicial sources, investigators focused in August on the possibility that the threats were part of an effort to "reclaim the 'DZ Mafia' label," suggesting that individuals may have been trying to assert control or legitimacy over the criminal group's name. In response, individuals claiming to be affiliated with the DZ Mafia posted a video on social media to deny any involvement in the threats. The suspect is currently facing charges including association with a criminal gang, threats against an elected official, and possession of weapons, as determined by a judge overseeing the case.