French customs authorities have seized nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine, estimated to be worth €225 million (approximately US$261.45 million), from a container carrying plastic waste that arrived at the northern port of Dunkirk from Ghana. According to Reuters, the seizure was carried out on Thursday, September 10. France’s organised crime prosecutor’s office said the cocaine had been hidden inside the container, which was reportedly bound in part for Antwerp, Belgium.
French authorities said the seizure followed a targeted operation by the judicial police against a criminal network suspected of organising the shipment. The seized cocaine has since been destroyed, while prosecutors have launched an investigation into both the consignment and the network allegedly behind it.
The investigation is examining offences including the organised importation of narcotics and participation in a criminal association. Under French law, those offences can carry prison sentences of up to 10 years.
The seizure underscores ongoing efforts by European authorities to dismantle international drug-trafficking networks and prevent large quantities of cocaine from entering the continent. It is also expected to contribute to a wider investigation into how the cocaine was transported from Ghana to France and the criminal organisation suspected of arranging the shipment.
