France's navy seized 4.24 tonnes of cocaine from a vessel in the South Pacific and intercepted a separate boat carrying 678 kilograms in the Caribbean, officials said. The Pacific ship, believed to have come from Central America and bound for South Africa, was intercepted near French Polynesia and its cargo destroyed at sea away from protected zones. Prosecutors did not press local charges to avoid overloading courts, and the vessel and crew were released under international law. The seizures come amid U.N. concerns about expanding cocaine and methamphetamine trafficking across Pacific routes to Australia and New Zealand.
France Seizes 4.24 Tonnes of Cocaine in South Pacific, Intercepts 678 kg in Caribbean
France's navy seized over four tons of cocaine from a ship in the south Pacific and also intercepted a boat trafficking cocaine in the Caribbean Sea, the country's armed forces minister said on Thursday. / Credit: France's High Commission in French Polynesia(France's High Commission in French Polynesia)
France's navy announced it seized 4.24 tonnes of cocaine from a vessel in the South Pacific and intercepted a separate boat carrying 678 kilograms of cocaine in the Caribbean, the country's armed forces minister said.
Armed forces minister Catherine Vautrin posted on X that the Pacific seizure involved a vessel believed to have originated in Central America and bound for South Africa. The ship was intercepted in waters around French Polynesia, the territory's high commission said.
Officials told AFP that the suspected narcotics were destroyed at sea, well away from French Polynesia's exclusive economic zone and a nearby marine protected area. Vautrin and the high commission published images on social media showing aerial views of the interception and packages of the suspected drugs aboard a naval vessel.
Legal handling and crew: Prosecutors opted not to press charges locally to avoid overburdening the territory's courts because the shipment was not destined for French Polynesia. Under international law, the intercepted vessel and its crew were released and — in the Caribbean case — the boat was handed over to Barbadian authorities.
Last month, the French navy seized almost five tonnes of cocaine from a fishing vessel near French Polynesia that was believed to be heading for Australia. The two recent operations reflect sustained maritime enforcement efforts against transnational drug networks operating in Pacific and Caribbean sea lanes.
Regional Context
The United Nations has warned that organized criminal groups trafficking cocaine and methamphetamine have increased their presence in the Pacific. Large quantities of drugs are routinely moved from North and South America toward markets in Australia and New Zealand, and French Polynesia lies along these maritime routes.
Although French Polynesia has experienced significant methamphetamine use, its relatively small population of about 280,000 makes it a less attractive final market for large-scale trafficking, officials say. Authorities and international partners continue coordinated patrols and investigations to disrupt these global trafficking networks.
Vautrin praised the operation, saying it demonstrated the armed forces' "vigilance and professionalism to thwart a globalized trafficking network."
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