French Navy Seizes Nearly 5 Tonnes of Cocaine Bound for Australia

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Papeete: France’s navy has intercepted a fishing vessel in the South Pacific and seized 4.87 tonnes of cocaine believed to have been destined for Australia, French authorities said.

The ship, which was travelling from Central America under the flag of Togo, was stopped on January 16, according to a statement from France’s High Commission in French Polynesia. Officials said the operation involved significant naval and logistical resources.

A source close to the investigation said the drugs were intended for the Australian market. The vessel was crewed by 10 Honduran nationals and one Ecuadoran, who will not face prosecution in France, though their home countries may pursue legal action.

The United Nations has previously warned that organised crime groups have expanded drug trafficking operations across the Pacific, using the region as a transit route for cocaine and methamphetamine bound for Australia and New Zealand.