Olivier Dussopt, Minister Delegate in charge of Public Accounts, congratulates the sailors and customs airmen of the DNGCD for their exceptional seizure of 4.2 tons of cannabis resin carried out on the high seas on a fishing vessel in the South of the Mediterranean last week.
As part of an operation to combat drug trafficking under the coordination of the Mediterranean maritime prefect, the Mediterranean customs coastguard service (SGCD) deployed, from September 10 to 17, 2021, to important means of maritime surveillance in the South of the Mediterranean.
The DFP3 coast guard patroller “Jean-François Deniau” from Toulon / La Seyne-sur-Mer supported by a Beechcraft KA350 ER aircraft from the air and sea surveillance brigade of the customs of Hyères were thus hired in order to locate any ships that were engaging in illicit trafficking and then being able to control them.
These customs resources were conducted in real time by the maritime customs operational center (CODM) in Marseille, in close liaison with the Mediterranean operations center (COM) of the maritime prefect in Toulon. Each vessel targeted by the crew of the customs aircraft was subject to a joint analysis by customs and the French Navy, in order to have all the information available.
On September 13, 2021, the crew of the customs aircraft spotted a fishing vessel with no visible external mark on the hull and whose route and activity did not appear to correspond to normal fishing activity in this area.
After analysis of the photographs taken by the customs plane, the patroller “Jean-François Deniau” is then authorized by the maritime prefect and the director of the SGCD to pursue and intercept the fishing vessel. After consultation with the public prosecutor of the Toulon judicial court who supervised this operation, the maritime prefect authorized the inspection of the fishing vessel by customs officers.
The in-depth search of the fishing vessel led to the discovery of a cavity hidden behind a partition containing “Moroccan suitcases” of cannabis resin. The complete exploration of the arranged cache resulted in the seizure of 4.2 tonnes of cannabis resin packaged in 134 bales. The drugs were transported to France on September 16 and were then cremated the next day by decision of the public prosecutor of Toulon.
Olivier Dussopt said:
« I congratulate the customs officers of the national customs coast guard for their remarkable work, which, thanks to the air and sea surveillance capabilities of the Beechcraft aircraft, carried out this important seizure. A major player in the fight against drug trafficking, Customs has once again demonstrated its know-how in the fight against international organized crime and in the protection of France’s maritime borders. I also salute the excellent coordination with the services of the Maritime Prefecture of the Mediterranean which contributed to the success of this exceptional seizure. »
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