French naval forces have seized 4.87 tonnes of cocaine aboard a fishing vessel intercepted in the maritime zone of French Polynesia. The operation, conducted on 16 January, is one of the largest narcotics seizures ever recorded in the South Pacific, according to French authorities.
Pacific drug route toward Australia confirmed
The vessel, originating from Central America, was tracked while transiting the Pacific Ocean before being intercepted by the French Navy frigate Prairial, supported by a Dauphin helicopter and a maritime patrol aircraft. A total of 96 bales of cocaine were discovered on board. The ship was flying the Togo flag and crewed by ten Honduran nationals and one Ecuadorian. Investigators believe the shipment was bound for Australia, highlighting the growing use of Pacific maritime routes by Latin American drug trafficking networks.
No French judicial proceedings despite record seizure
Despite the scale of the seizure, France will not open a judicial investigation. As the drugs were not intended for the Polynesian market, the case was handled administratively under international maritime law, notably the Vienna Convention. The operation was coordinated by the High Commissioner of the Republic in French Polynesia and involved French armed forces, the gendarmerie, and the local anti-narcotics office, underlining France’s key role in counter-narcotics maritime security operations across the Pacific.
In 2025, the French Navy has already broken its record for drug seizures, intercepting a total of 87.6 tonnes of narcotics, including 58.8 tonnes of cocaine.
