French Authorities Dismantle Maritime Cocaine Network in Normandy

An unprecedented operation seizes 800 kilograms of cocaine, arrests 30 suspects, and disrupts a trafficking method new to France.

French police seized 800 kilograms of cocaine dropped at sea by a Brazilian cargo ship and retrieved by smaller boats in a 'drop-off' operation.
The large-scale operation, conducted overnight on April 3-4, resulted in the arrest of 30 individuals, including 22 Filipino crew members and 8 others in Normandy.
This marks the first confirmed use of the 'drop-off' method in France, a tactic previously associated with Latin America and the Caribbean.
The operation, stemming from an 18-month investigation, involved over 100 police officers and 70 gendarmes under the jurisdiction of Rennes' Specialized Interregional Jurisdiction (JIRS).
Authorities redirected the Brazilian cargo ship en route to Amsterdam to Dunkerque for further investigation, highlighting France's role in combating Europe's drug trade.