France intercepts cocaine-laden boat in Caribbean, seizes 4 tons in Pacific

The French navy has confiscated over four tons of cocaine from a vessel in the South Pacific and has also apprehended another boat carrying cocaine in the Caribbean Sea, as stated by the country's armed forces minister on Thursday.

Catherine Vautrin noted on X that 4.24 tons of cocaine was seized in the Pacific, while a vessel with 678 kilograms of cocaine was stopped in the Caribbean and then transferred to the Barbadian authorities.

The ship in the Pacific, originating from Central America and reportedly heading for South Africa, was intercepted in French Polynesia, according to the country's high commission in the island region mentioned in a statement.

The illegal cargo was disposed of at sea, safely away from the Polynesian economic zone and protected marine area, officials informed AFP.

Vautrin and the high commission shared images of the operation on social media, showcasing a bird’s-eye view of the capture and parcels of the alleged drugs on a naval ship. 

Vautrin praised the armed forces for their "alertness and expertise in dismantling a global trafficking network."

The French navy has confiscated over four tons of cocaine from a vessel in the South Pacific and has also apprehended another boat carrying cocaine in the Caribbean Sea, as stated by the country's armed forces minister on Thursday. 

The prosecutor’s office decided against pursuing charges to avoid overloading the local court with a drug trafficking case that was not meant for French Polynesia itself.

The high commission reported that the ship and its crew were released in accordance with international regulations.

Last month, the naval forces seized nearly five tons of cocaine, likely intended for Australia, from a fishing vessel near French Polynesia.

In recent reports, the United Nations has highlighted that criminal organizations dealing in cocaine and methamphetamine have been extending their operations into the Pacific.

Vast quantities of drugs are moved from the Americas to markets in Australia and New Zealand, as per the United Nations.

French Polynesia is situated along these maritime paths and is directly affected by substantial methamphetamine consumption.

However, due to its modest population of 280,000, it is not a major target for extensive drug trafficking.