France, Nov. 19 -- The emergency meeting held at the Elysee Palace on Tuesday brought together senior ministers, judicial police officials and specialised magistrates as the government seeks to project firmness on an issue rapidly rising up the political agenda ahead of next March's municipal elections.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said after the discussions that he would travel to Marseille on Thursday with Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin, following a request from the President.

Macron himself plans to reconvene anti-trafficking stakeholders in mid-December - again at the Elysee Palace - before making his own trip to Marseille.

"We have noticed that traffickers, particularly those who run the Marseille mafias, are becoming in...