Summary of news
- Masked men walk on a beach in France where tons of cocaine have washed up.
- The country’s authorities reiterated that it was illegal to take bags of the drug home.
- The government pointed out the health dangers of using highpurity cocaine.
- Authorities have already collected a total of 2,038 tons of the narcotic.
Police patrol the beach where drugs were found Lou Benoist/AFP 03/02/2023
People searching for packets of cocaine on France’s north coast, where more than 2 tonnes have been found since last Sunday (26), face legal and health risks, authorities warned this Friday (3).
A few days ago, people appeared in the region apparently looking for part of a drug shipment, sparking fear and suspicion among the population.
“We see hooded people walking around. We’re getting a little scared,” said Odile Lezevielle, a 66yearold resident.
Three hooded people dressed in black walked along the almost empty beach of NévillesurMer (English Channel) this Friday (3) despite the cold wind and found an AFP journalist.
“People generally come to fish, but not this one [cocaína]’ joked Jacques Hébert, 75 years old, who lives in the neighboring town of Réville.
The judiciary warned of the risks of this drug tourism: “Owning one of these bags and transporting it is a crime punishable by ten years in prison,” prosecutor Philippe Astruc warned.
“At this time I do not know the purity of this cocaine. But we know from experience that when cocaine arrives in Europe it is 80% to 90% pure, which means that if used in the state where it is presented it is deadly,” he added.
The judge recalled that during a previous “white tsunami” that scattered a shipment of cocaine hundreds of miles of France’s Atlantic coast, a man died after consuming the drug found on a beach.
The origin of the cocaine found on Normandy beaches between Sunday (26th) and Wednesday (1st) is still unknown and investigations are trying to determine if all the drugs came from the same shipment.
Authorities collected a total of 2,038 tons of the drug (804 kg on Sunday and 1,234 kg on Wednesday) and multiplied patrols and helicopter flights to try to detect other packages.
The discovery and disclosure “bring people,” said the resident of Réville, for whom the presence of law enforcement was reassuring: “The gendarmes are there and see the hooded people.”
This case accounts for just over 7% of the cocaine seized in France in 2022. According to the latest official tally, 27.7 tons of the drug were seized, 5% more than in 2021.
Maritime transport is the main entry point for drugs in France, accounting for 75.4% of the quantities seized last year.
Tons of cocaine mysteriously wash up on French beaches
More than 2 tons of cocaine in bags have been found on the north coast of France since Sunday (26) and the police are multiplying patrols given the possibility that this “historical” cache is even larger. According to a source close to the case, the amount of retail drugs seized is estimated at around 150 million euros (about R$825 million).
Several sacks containing around 850 kg of cocaine were found on the beach at Réville in the English Channel in the French region of Normandy last Sunday morning. On Wednesday (1st), another six sacks containing about 1.5 tons of the drug surfaced about 15 km further north near the town of VicqsurMer, about 20 km from the city of Cherbourg
The amount of white powder seized so far stands at 2.3 tonnes, the source said, saying it was a “historic” figure. On the beach at NévillesurMer, which is still open to the public, police patrols with dog brigades were stepping up work on Thursday afternoon (2) and a French Navy helicopter flew over the area, an AFP photographer said.
A group of young people dressed in black are combing the sand with their faces covered. What are you searching for? “A couple of snails that arrived yesterday,” one of them said dryly. The Réville officer said the packets of cocaine were “easily recognizable” as many were “strapped to life jackets” and “literally stuck to the beach”.
About 60 agents have been deployed to conduct regular day and night patrols and a semirigid boat stands ready to intervene in the port of SaintVaastlaHougue, officials said.
The “colossal” amount of cocaine is attracting people of unclear intentions and is causing concern among the residents of these small towns. The source close to the case said surveillance will continue until early next week. Cherbourg prosecutors launched an investigation earlier this week that will seek to clarify the bags’ origin and trajectory.
The packages of cocaine could have been thrown overboard before inspection was imminent, although there is a possibility they may have fallen off the ship, a source close to the case said.
It’s not the first time cocaine has washed up on French beaches. At the end of 2019, 1,600 kg of this drug were in sacks scattered on the beaches between the cities of San Juan de Luz and Camaret
In 2022, France seized around 156.7 tons of drugs, a “historic” level, including 27 tons of cocaine, authorities said on Wednesday (1). “55% of the seizures come from the Antilles and Guyana [Francesa]Areas for storage and onward shipment of cocaine manufactured in South America,” according to the Interior Ministry