French authorities have announced the seizure of almost 2.65 tonnes of cocaine from a fishing boat off the coast of the West Indies.
The operation began when Caribbean forces received a tip from customs and flagged down a Venezuelan fishing vessel 1,500 kilometers northeast of Martinique on May 15.
A helicopter from the surveillance frigate Ventôse landed a team on the boat, where they discovered and seized 81 bales of cocaine weighing approximately 2.65 tons. Photos show the stock tightly bound in black plastic.
According to the military department, the crew and their cargo have been handed over to Venezuelan authorities.
This was the seventh drug bust of the year, with a total of more than 13 tonnes of narcotics seized across all operations.
French authorities seized nearly 2.65 tons of cocaine from a fishing boat (pictured) off the coast of the West Indies on May 15
A team from the Caribbean Armed Forces landed on the ship and discovered 81 bales of cocaine (photo)
Also this month, French authorities carried out two maritime operations off the coast of Martinique, coincidentally seizing a total of 2.65 tons of cocaine destined for Europe.
On May 2, sailors from Ventôse decided to inspect a sailboat flying a Polish flag, according to a press release. It is unclear whether and why they were tipped off.
The boat was intercepted “in an area commonly used by criminal organizations to transfer drugs between ships,” the press release said.
The French soldiers noticed ‘numerous suspicious bundles’ that appeared to be filled with around 1,200 kilos of cocaine. The boat, crew and cargo were taken to Martinique and handed over to French judicial authorities.
Seven days later, French Navy soldiers boarded an unflagged service ship and seized approximately 1,236 kilograms of the drug, which was later destroyed.
French customs officials last seized 406 kilos of cocaine from yet another Polish-flagged ship on May 23.
In a wild turn of events, the two crew members attempted to destroy the ship and its cargo by setting it on fire.
Both she and the 19 bales of cocaine were rescued and passed on to investigators.
The development marked the seventh drug bust of the year, with more than 13 tonnes of narcotics seized across all operations.
Earlier this month, authorities seized a total of 2.65 tons of cocaine in two separate operations
On May 23, French customs officials seized 406 kilos of the drug from a ship whose crew members had set it on fire in an attempt to destroy evidence.
Authorities have only intensified drug interdiction efforts in the region over the past decade. In 2022, a staggering 22.7 tonnes of cocaine were seized in the West Indies, more than five times the amount seized in 2012.
A 2014 press release from the U.S. State Department named Martinique and the islands of the French Caribbean as major drug trafficking transshipment points.
“The vastness of the Caribbean Sea and proximity to other countries with relatively lax law enforcement and endemic corruption facilitate drug trafficking in the area,” the press release said.
Martinique has long been a popular transportation hub for substances such as cocaine, cannabis products and ecstasy.
While much of the cargo originates from South and Central America and heads to Europe via the West Indies, the State Department also identified syndicates with members from the French Caribbean attempting to smuggle drugs into France and neighboring countries .
French Guiana, the islands of Martinique, Guadeloupe, the French part of Saint Martin and St. Barthélemy are all overseas departments of France, meaning they are subject to French law.