More than 156 tons of drugs were seized in France in 2022, announces Gérald Darmanin

Seizures “historical”. Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin announced on Wednesday March 1 that the authorities had seized 156.7 tonnes of drugs in France in 2022. In detail, this represents 128 tonnes of cannabis (+15% compared to 2021), more than 27 tonnes of cocaine (+5%), 1.4 tonnes of heroin (+8%) and 273 kilos of synthetic drugs (+21%). “In 2022, 37,510 drug traffickers were implicated, almost 5% more than the year before”specifies the Ministry of the Interior, in its annual report on the fight against narcotics.

More than half of the cocaine seized came from the West Indies and Guyana, said Gérald Darmanin. “In order to fight against these networks”a “specific branch of the anti-drug office, made up of 25 police officers” will be created in the port of Le Havre (Seine-Maritime). All flights from Cayenne to Paris are also subject to controls. “These checks made it possible to arrest 170 mules and prevent more than 4,000 from flying”said the Minister of the Interior, who presented these figures alongside the Keeper of the Seals, Eric Dupond-Moretti, and the Minister of Public Accounts, Gabriel Attal.

The latter announced than a cocaine seizure “historical” was carried out on February 19 by customs at the port of Le Havre, with 1.9 tonnes of powder intercepted in a few days. “We must prevent this white tsunami from reaching our shores”estimated Gabriel Attal.