The ships of the National Navy of the Joan of Arc group seized 8.7 tons of drugs in one week in the Indian Ocean, "
record
"
figures
, the Ministry of the Armed Forces said Thursday.
A success that comes on top of the six tonnes of cocaine seized last week in the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic.
Read also: Gulf of Guinea: record seizure of more than six tonnes of cocaine by the Navy
The seizure was carried out over several days, by controlling an area "
between the Pakistani coasts and the Yemeni or Omani coasts
", according to a ministerial source to AFP.
The flow of dhows is dense at this time of the year thanks to favorable sea conditions.
"
It's a good time for traffickers,
" the same source said, indicating that it was "
public and documented that trafficking is on the increase
", especially from Afghanistan.
To intercept the illicit goods, “
the Jeanne d'Arc group made up of the PHA
[amphibious helicopter carrier]
Tonnerre, the La Fayette Surcouf-type frigate, and temporarily reinforced by the surveillance frigate (FS) Nivôse, in a few days , proceeded to the search of several dhows,
”the ministry said in a press release.
"
These three buildings seized in all more than eight tons of cannabis, about 300 kg of heroin and more than 450 kg of methamphetamines
", record seizures which "
come to deal a serious blow to the criminal and terrorist organizations which rely on this trafficking to finance their activities
”.
The Joan of Arc naval group is currently carrying out the mission of the same name, which consists of an operational deployment intended to train the cadets of the French Navy.
He embarks the students of the Naval School in the last year of training.
For five months, the ships thus navigate in areas of strategic interest around the world, and carry out international cooperation or humanitarian missions.
To read also: Bernard Giraudeau: "My tour of the world on Jeanne"
Sailors search a dhow.
In the background, the Tonnerre Amphibious Helicopter Carrier.
Navy
A good time for traffickers
The seizures of the Joan of Arc group are added to that, Sunday, of more than six tons of cocaine in the Gulf of Guinea, in which a team of the amphibious helicopter carrier (PHA) Dixmude participated, and which represents "
the largest French drug seizure at sea
”, according to Colonel Frédéric Barbry, spokesperson for the military staff.
The cargo seized came from Brazil and was heading a priori to Nigeria.
Read also: The biggest French cannabis trafficker awaiting extradition from Dubai
"
In seven days, 14.7 tons of narcotics were seized, a real record over such a short period
", rejoiced Minister Florence Parly in the press release.
"
By drying up these flows, through these always sensitive missions, (French sailors) contribute to the stability of Europe and the security of our fellow citizens
", she argued.
In the whole of 2020, seizures of narcotics by the national navy had represented a total of 8.3 tons.
