French customs authorities have intercepted nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine valued at approximately €225 million (about US$261.45 million) concealed in a container carrying plastic waste from Ghana.
The seizure was made on Thursday, September 10, at the northern French port of Dunkirk, according to Reuters.
France’s organised crime prosecutor’s office said the cocaine was hidden inside the container, which was reportedly destined in part for Antwerp, Belgium.
Authorities said the seizure followed a targeted operation by the judicial police aimed at disrupting a criminal network suspected of organising the shipment.
Following the interception, the seized cocaine was destroyed, while prosecutors launched an investigation into the shipment and the criminal network allegedly responsible for its movement.
The investigation is examining offences including the organised importation of narcotics and participation in a criminal association.
Under French law, the offences under investigation carry prison sentences of up to 10 years.
The latest seizure underscores ongoing efforts by French and other European authorities to dismantle international drug trafficking networks and prevent large consignments of cocaine from reaching the continent.
It is also expected to form part of a broader investigation into the movement of the narcotics from Ghana to France and the network allegedly involved in arranging the shipment.
