A significant maritime operation has resulted in the seizure of more than 4.2 tonnes of cocaine by the French authorities in the Atlantic Ocean, in the Caribbean area, demonstrating the effectiveness of close international and interagency cooperation.
The operation stemmed from an investigation initiated by Greek authorities, who shared intelligence with the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
With contributions from the UK National Crime Agency (NCA), the Portuguese authorities (PJ), and support of MAOC-N, this international cooperation led by the French authorities (OFAST) enabled the deployment of a French Navy frigate, which intercepted a fishing vessel navigating under challenging sea conditions.
During the boarding and search of the vessel, authorities discovered 138 bales of cocaine concealed on board, with the total quantity of illicit drugs seized exceeding 4200kg. Importantly, this seizure contributed significantly to Greece’s ongoing efforts to dismantle an international organised crime group, with suspected involvement in the maritime transport of multi-tonne cocaine shipments to Europe.
This success demonstrates the power of multinational coordination, combining intelligence, operational planning, and interagency support to effectively combat organised crime at sea.
MAOC-N remains committed to facilitating these collaborative efforts and to disrupting illicit trafficking networks across the Atlantic.
