A French Navy vessel seized some 15 bales of cocaine from a yacht on April 17 (Photo Armed Forces of the Antilles)
FORT-DE-FRANCE--On Friday April 17, a French Navy vessel intercepted a yacht sailing without a flag in the Atlantic Ocean.
Acting in accordance with the United Nations Conventions on the Law of the Sea and the Suppression of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, the boarding party inspected the vessel and discovered several suspicious packages on board.
Inspection operations led to the seizure of 15 packages, which tested positive for cocaine.
The individuals were arrested and the illicit cargo, weighing a total of 502.5 kg, was taken to Fort-de-France, Martinique, in accordance with French judicial procedures relating to the fight against drug trafficking.
The judicial investigation has been entrusted to the Caribbean Anti-Narcotics Office OFAST.
This major operation was led by the admiral commanding the Antilles maritime zone, under the direction of the Préfet of Martinique, the government’s representative for state action at sea. It benefited from close international and inter-agency cooperation, particularly in terms of intelligence-sharing from the National Directorate of Intelligence and Customs Investigations.
Throughout the year, the armed forces in the Caribbean carry out operations to combat international drug trafficking on the high seas, thereby contributing to regional stability and the protection of local populations.
