It is the most important seizure of this year by the port customs officers. Port authorities in Le Havre seized more than a ton of cocaine in just four days in early December, according to information from blue france. A first load of 880 kg was discovered on December 9 on a ship from South America. Four days later, another 210 kg was seized by a cargo ship, this time from the French West Indies. The specialized interregional jurisdiction (JIRS) of Lille dealt with the case.
This impressive deal comes just a month later another seizure of 750 kg of cocaine November 16 still on the port of the Norman city. The drugs were also hidden in a container on a ship from South America. Achievements like this are frequent in the port of Le Havre. Four tons of cocaine have been discovered since January. Seven tons had been confiscated in 2021, according to France bleu.
Cocaine seizures are rising sharply
And cocaine isn’t the only drug in transit through the port city: a ton and a half of khat leaves (known for their stimulating or euphoric effects) from Kenya were seized earlier this year. According to our colleagues, illicit cargo is slipped aboard merchant ships, sometimes without the knowledge of crew members.
Nationwide, the number of cocaine seizures has exploded since last year. In early September, French customs services announced they had found 15.42 tonnes of cocaine since the start of 2022, a 94% increase in the first seven months compared to a year earlier.
