On December 18, the Armed Forces in the West Indies boarded a sailboat transporting 1,200 kg of cocaine on the high seas off the coast of Martinique. The three crew members and the cargo were transferred to the Ventôse which is heading towards Fort-de-France, where they will be handed over to the judicial authorities. Since the start of the year, the FAA has seized 11 tons of narcotics.
On December 18, directed by information from the National Directorate of Customs Intelligence and Investigations (DNRED), the French Navy is occurred in unfavorable weather conditions, in heavy seas, more than 2000 kilometers off the coast of Martinique, on a sailboat suspected of trafficking illicit goods destined for Europe.
The National Navy visiting team, reinforced by marine riflemen, conducted a nautical raid to surprise the sailboat. Thus, 44 bales were discovered and seized, for a weight of approximately 1,200 kg of cocaine. The three crew members and the cargo were transferred to the Ventôse which is heading towards Fort-de-France where they will be handed over to the judicial authorities.
Conducted under the direction of the prefect of Martinique, delegate of the Government for the action of the State at sea, and of the admiral commanding the maritime zone of the Antilles, this The operation was the result of close inter-service and international cooperation. It notably mobilized the Maritime Analysis and Operations Center – Narcotics (MAOC-N), the National Crime Agency (NCA), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Joint InterAgency Task Force-South (IATF-S), the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, in close cooperation with the national police authorities Spanish.
With this 8th seizure, the FAA removed more than 11 tons of narcotics from distribution networks in 2023.