French Navy seizes 4.6t of cocaine
Cocaine bound for the European market worth an estimated €150 million was seized from a Brazilian tugboat by the French Navy, Europol has reported.
The vessel, carrying more than 4.6 tonnes of cocaine, was intercepted in the Gulf of Guinea by the navy thanks to an intelligence operation that included Europol, MAOC-N (Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre – Narcotics), and the authorities in Brazil, France, the United Kingdom and the United States.
According to MAOC-N, forces from the naval asset Tonerre, an amphibious helicopter carrier, uncovered the bales of cocaine on a 21m tug that had been under surveillance since it left Brazil and was apprehended 400 miles off the coast of Sierra Leone.
Inflatable Zodiac boats surrounded the tugboat and sailors managed to get on board where they found Brazilian nationals, who were arrested, and tightly wrapped bales, which were destroyed.
MAOC-N says it has seized 15 tonnes of cocaine this year, mainly along the African coast from Cape Verde to the Gulf of Guinea.
”Coupled with Europol’s work into the encrypted means of communication used by criminals, this coordinated intelligence-led approach is delivering tangible results in the fight against maritime drugs trafficking,” said Europol.
