On May 15th, 2024, the French Navy intercepted a Venezuelan-flagged fishing vessel named ALEPPO in the Atlantic Ocean, 820 nautical miles northeast of Martinique.
The operation was carried out by the crew of the French Navy’s surveillance frigate VENTOSE, with the support of DNRED and OFAST. Utilizing the frigate’s on-board helicopter for relocation, they boarded the vessel seizing 2430kg of unconcealed cocaine.
The 10 crew members – all from Venezuela – and illicit cargo were subsequently handed over to competent authorities.
This operation was coordinated through MAOC (N) and carried out with the support of the Spanish authorities – who had also originally identified the target – as well as the US and the US authorities, underscoring the importance of international cooperation in tackling drug trafficking.
