Overview
- A French Navy frigate boarded a fishing vessel on the high Atlantic on February 1 and recovered 1,375 kilograms of cocaine valued at about €41 million.
- The vessel originated from South America, and the detainees were transferred to Brazilian authorities during a frigate stopover.
- The interdiction followed operational leads from DNRED and OFAST, with information shared by MAOC-N, British police and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
- The mission was conducted under the authority of the Atlantic maritime prefect and the public prosecutor at the Brest judicial court.
- Officials placed the case in the context of record 2025 results for French forces, with 87.6 tonnes of drugs seized worldwide, including 58 tonnes of cocaine, an 81% annual increase.