Customs officials in French Polynesia have seized a record 900 kilogrammes of cocaine and 180 kilogrammes of methamphetamine aboard a sailing yacht at Nuku Hiva in the Marquesas Islands – one of five archipelagos that make up French Polynesia.

Published 5 days ago

Sources:  RFI and NL Times

The German skipper and a Dutch passenger were taken into custody following the seizure, which took place as the yacht made a stopover at Nuku Hiva, one of the region’s most populous islands, according to the Papeete prosecutor’s office.

The drugs, loaded in Mexico and reportedly en route to Australia, were intercepted in what officials are calling the largest narcotics haul ever recorded in the territory.

The trafficking route between drug-producing Latin America and high-demand markets in Australia is well known to customs and armed forces who monitor French Polynesia’s vast 5.5-million-kilometre maritime zone.

“We are going to request tighter controls across the Marquesas and more broadly throughout French Polynesia, as this is a known route for traffickers,” said Benoît Kautai, mayor of Nuku Hiva.”

France’s Overseas Minister Manuel Valls, was on an official visit to the region at the time of the drug seizure and said the “fight against drugs must continue”.

Questioned over the drug seizure on his arrival in Tahiti, Mr Valls said: “The State is taking action and will continue to do so on land and at sea, with the aerial surveillance that is required. Of course, we also need to work on prevention. But the fight against drugs, with strong international cooperation, must continue.

Known Drug Trafficking Route

Reporting on the arrest of a Dutch citizen from the yacht,  the NL Times said French Polynesia has become a significant transit point for drug trafficking, with several major seizures in recent years. Authorities have identified a maritime route from Latin America to Australia, passing through Pacific islands like French Polynesia, as a major corridor for illicit drug shipments. For this reason, ships are often checked on this route.

This is not the first time that a Dutch citizen has been arrested for drug-related offenses in the area said the NL Times.  A catamaran arriving in Nuku Hiva was found to be carrying between 400 and 600 kilograms of cocaine in an incident in 2017, according to reports at the time. The crew members, including two Dutchmen and a Pole, claimed they were unaware of the cargo. The drugs were believed to have been transported from Costa Rica and were likely destined for the Australian market.

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Related News:

• Record Drug Seizure in French Polynesia as Overseas Minister Makes Official Visit (RFI.FR)
• Record Seizure of Drugs from Sailboat in Nuku Hiva (FranceInfo)
• French Authorities Seize Cocaine and Methamphetamine in Nuku Hiva (Maoc.eu)
• Dutch Citizen Among Those Arrested in Massive French Polynesia Drug Bust (NL Times)

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