More than 4.6 tonnes of cocaine, worth around 150 million euros, were seized by the French Navy from a Brazilian tugboat in the Gulf of Guinea, the maritime prefecture of the Atlantic announced on Friday. This operation was carried out on the basis of information transmitted by the Anti-Narcotics Office (OFAST) of the French judicial police within the framework of an international investigation carried out in particular with the Brazilian and American authorities.
The 21.5 m long ship was thus “subject to special surveillance”, according to the press release from the maritime prefecture.
Seized products destroyed on board
Early Wednesday morning, sailors from the amphibious helicopter carrier Tonnerre conducted a search of the premises on board and discovered bales containing 4,607 kg of cocaine. Their intervention was supported by a Falcon 50 from the French Navy and by two on-board helicopters.
“The seized products were destroyed on board, before the return of the building to its base port in Toulon”, specified the maritime prefecture, which salutes the “perfect cooperation between the national and international actors in the fight against narcotics” which has “made it possible to obtain this notable result”.
Information Collected
The operation made it possible to take samples and gather information, Brest prosecutor Camille Miansoni, who is legally competent in this type of case, told AFP. The crew and the boat were, on the other hand, left free, “the place of the interception of the ship, off the coast of Senegal” not allowing “to consider the repatriation of the crew to Brest”, a he specified.
The Tonnerre amphibious helicopter carrier carries a crew of 227 sailors, including a team of marine riflemen specializing in controlling ships at sea as well as an on-board Army tactical group.