French authorities announced on Tuesday that they seized 100 bales of cocaine during a coordinated operation with the United States last Thursday. The High Commission in French Polynesia reported that the vessel was intercepted at sea but was allowed to continue its journey in compliance with international law. Details regarding the ship’s flag, point of origin, or intended destination remain undisclosed.
This recent seizure adds to a growing trend of cocaine interceptions in Polynesian waters, marking the third significant operation since the start of the year. Earlier in February, the French Navy confiscated 4.24 tonnes of cocaine after targeting a suspect vessel identified by customs officials. Earlier in January, another ship, en route to Australia, was found carrying 4.87 tonnes. To date, authorities have intercepted nearly 12 tonnes of cocaine valued at approximately US$2.4 billion near French Polynesia since the outset of 2026.
The surge in drug trafficking is underscored by warnings from the United Nations, which indicates that organized crime syndicates are increasingly utilizing the Pacific region as a transit corridor for cocaine and methamphetamine between the Americas and markets in Australia and New Zealand.
The rise in seizures is part of a broader trend, with French authorities reporting record cocaine seizures in 2025, totaling 81 tonnes—a significant 50 percent increase compared to 2024 and nearly quadruple the amount seized in 2023. The majority of cocaine seized last year came from the Caribbean.
Domestic demand for cocaine in France has also surged, with the Observatory for Drugs and Addictive Trends (OFDT) noting that at least 1.1 million individuals tried cocaine at least once in 2023. This rising demand, coupled with a drop in the average street price per gram from 66 euros (US$78) in 2023 to 58 euros (US$68) in 2024, has intensified competition among criminal networks engaged in the drug trade.
Globally, cocaine production remains alarmingly high, currently estimated at around 4,000 tonnes per year, indicating ongoing challenges for law enforcement worldwide as they seek to address the complexities of drug trafficking in the Pacific region and beyond.
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