French Secret Service

The GIGN (Groupe d'Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale) is a French law enforcement agency featured in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. The "GIGN" name is derived from internal files of GTA Vice City, and may refer to both the French version of the SWAT, as well as the DGSE (Direction Générale de la Sécurité Extérieure), France's secret service and equivalent of the FBI.

Description

The GIGN appears twice in GTA Vice City, mainly, during "Mall Shootout" and "All Hands On Deck". The missions, which are given by Colonel Cortez, relate to Cortez's conflict with French authorities over the illegal purchase of chips (which are properties of the French government presumably to be used for military equipment). The situation escalates to the point when Cortez is forced to flee Vice City for an unknown country.

During "Mall Shootout", GIGN units intervene in a deal between Tommy Vercetti and Pierre La Ponce. In "All Hands On Deck", Cortez is forced to flee the city on his yatch after learning that the French are closing in on Cortez. French agents attempt to block his escape and kill or apprehend Cortez, but their attempts are thwarted by Tommy Vercetti, who helps Cortez flee Vice City by killing a number of French personnel. During an early cutscene in the mission, French agents may be seen arriving at the marina in a black colored FBI Washington, which is not reachable to the player.