In recent days, an operation carried out by the French Navy resulted in the interception of a go-fast vessel in international waters off Madeira (Portugal).
After being ordered to stop, the go-fast vessel failed to comply with the instructions of the French authorities, making it necessary to employ the use of force to immobilise the vessel. A boarding team then proceeded to inspect the vessel’s cargo, confirming the presence of 2,373 kg of cocaine.
This successful operation, oversaw by the Préfecture Maritime de Brest, is the result of the intense exchange of information and operational coordination between authorities from different countries, who have been at the forefront of combating the threat posed by the use of these high-speed vessels for drug trafficking.
In addition to the French Navy, the operation – coordinated through MAOC-N, was also supported by the French Anti-Drugs Office (OFAST) and Customs (DNRED), working in close cooperation with the UK National Crime Agency (NCA), the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Portuguese Navy and Judicial Police (PJ), as well as the Spanish authorities.
So far in 2025, MAOC-N member countries have seized over 71 tonnes of cocaine in operations supported by the Centre.
