The city of Nice has taken a significant step in the fight against the illicit tobacco trade. The signing of a partnership agreement with the Departmental Federation of Tobacconists of the Alpes-Maritimes focuses on securing businesses and preventing delinquency.
The idea for this agreement came from Jean-François Ona, project manager for the city of Nice. It was signed between the City and the Departmental Federation of Tobacconists of the Alpes-Maritimes, in a context where the illegal trade of tobacco is a major security and public order issue. During the signing, Anthony Borré, the first deputy mayor of Nice, highlighted the novel nature of this initiative, calling for its adaptation at the national level: “I call on all mayors to copy this agreement from us.” A statement that illustrates the municipal government’s desire to make Nice a pilot territory in confronting a phenomenon that far exceeds the local framework.
The Alpes-Maritimes, a particularly affected territory
The Alpes-Maritimes department is currently the most impacted by the illicit tobacco trade in France. This situation can be explained by the proximity to the Italian border, facilitating illegal flows. This trade undermines the legal economy and directly weakens tobacconists, the sole actors authorized to sell tobacco within the national territory. Serdar Kaya, national president of tobacconists, emphasized the symbolic significance of this approach, stating that “this agreement is a political signature.” He also reminded that the tobacco trade is “a societal phenomenon,” going beyond a mere commercial issue: “the only legal network in France is the tobacconists,” he stressed, before warning, “if tobacconists decline, society declines.” In Nice, nighttime grocery stores are identified as the primary resale points for illegal tobacco. Their presence generates numerous challenges for the municipality, both in terms of security and compliance with regulations. In 2025, 121 closures of such establishments were pronounced. However, the city hall faces a major challenge: it is almost impossible to shut them down permanently, complicating the fight against illegal networks.
Municipal involvement beyond its competences
Though the fight against tobacco trafficking primarily falls under the responsibilities of the State, the city of Nice was not obliged to intervene. Nonetheless, it chose to actively engage in this area, in line with its security policy. Since 2015, the municipality has implemented numerous measures to protect the people of Nice. Among them is the installation of alert buttons for merchants, a unique system in France. This measure has contributed to a significant decrease in armed robberies in shops, deterring criminals. Video surveillance is also a key element of the city’s security policy. Cameras installed throughout the territory are seized by justice approximately 2,000 times a year, or several times a day, to help resolve legal cases. This figure demonstrates their practical usefulness in fighting crime and maintaining public safety. Through this unprecedented agreement, the city of Nice affirms its commitment to protecting legal businesses, supporting tobacconists, and effectively combating trafficking that weakens the local economy. An initiative that, as the municipality hopes, could inspire other communities across France.
