France’s navy seized over four tons of cocaine from a ship in the south Pacific and intercepted another boat carrying six hundred seventy-eight kilograms of cocaine in the Caribbean Sea. The armed forces minister Catherine Vautrin reported these seizures on Thursday via her X account. An aerial view showing an interception operation, along with packages of drugs found onboard a naval vessel, was released by the French Polynesian high commission through social media.
The intercepted ship from Central America, believed bound for South Africa, was detected in French Polynesia and its cargo destroyed at sea away from the economic zone and marine protected area. The prosecutor’s office opted not to bring charges, as the case did not directly affect French Polynesia itself. The vessel and crew were released under international law.
Last month, the navy seized nearly five tons of cocaine believed destined for Australia from a fishing vessel near French Polynesia. The United Nations has highlighted recent efforts by organized crime groups trafficking cocaine and methamphetamine into the Pacific region. Large quantities of drugs are transported through maritime routes to Australian and New Zealand markets.
French Polynesia, despite its small population of 280,000, is indirectly affected by significant methamphetamine use. It remains a minor target for large-scale drug trafficking due to its geographical position along these routes.