France’s second largest warship “Mistral” seizes 885kg of cocaine
On 04 November, the French Navy’s amphibious helicopter carrier MISTRAL seized 885 kg of cocaine from a fishing boat off the coast of West Africa. The French anti-narcotics agency, acting on information from its Brazilian, American and British partners, requested the navy’s intervention.
Supported by an NH90 helicopter, a drone and two Gazelle helicopters, the MISTRAL inspection team boarded the boat. The operation was carried out under Article 110 of the Montego Bay Convention and led to the discovery of the drugs.The maritime route taken could have been used to transport the cocaine to Europe.
The Mistral is on a four-month mission in the Gulf of Guinea as part of the Corymbe mission to contribute to maritime security in the Gulf. Since 1990, it has been the permanent presence of a French naval vessel on one of the most dangerous routes in the world.
At the end of September, France announced the seizure of 2.4 tonnes of cocaine from a fishing boat in the Gulf of Guinea.
