French Authorities Seize 406 Kg Of Cocaine From Sailing Vessel In Bay Of Biscay

Sailing Boat — Image for representation purposes only

French Maritime Authorities confiscated 406 kilograms of cocaine from a Polish-flagged sailboat, Le Dahu, in the Bay of Biscay during a nighttime operation on May 23-24, 2024.

The Maritime Prefect of the Atlantic ordered the operation, commanded by the French Customs patrol Vessel Kermorvan and included multiple law enforcement agencies.

The French National Directorate of Customs Intelligence and Investigations (DNRED) first detected the sailboat in the Caribbean.

It tracked it across the Atlantic with assistance from the French Anti-narcotics Office (OFAST), the United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA), and the Spanish National Police, all coordinated through MAOC (N).

The Kermorvan crew inspected Le Dahu under Article 17 of the United Nations Convention against illicit traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.

French Maritime Authorities — Image Credits: MAOC

As the Kemorvan approached, Le Dahu’s two crew members set fire to the vessel and its cargo, attempting to destroy it.

The French crew successfully rescued the suspects and recovered 19 bales of cocaine from the vessel, totaling 406 kilograms and worth an estimated $12 million in the wholesale market.

The fire injured one of the suspects, who was then transported to a hospital for treatment.

The narcotics were handed over to OFAST by the Public Prosecutor at the Brest Judicial Court, with assistance from the Atlantic Maritime Gendarmerie Group.

The Brest public prosecutor’s office transferred the case to Rennes’ Specialized Interregional Jurisdiction (JIRS) due to the severity of the situation.

This substantial drug seizure demonstrates the coordinated efforts of international and French law enforcement organisations to combat narcotics trafficking across the Atlantic.

Reference: MAOC

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