15 tonnes of cocaine were reportedly thrown overboard, prompting treasure hunters to scour Atlantic beaches, leading to beach closures and increased security.
Cocaine thrown overboard in Atlantic
Fifteen tonnes of cocaine were reportedly thrown overboard by couriers and could wash up on the Atlantic coast, prompting people to search beaches for the drugs. Beaches closed in Porge
The town hall of Porge, in Gironde, banned access to all its beaches to prevent unauthorized attempts to recover the drugs and to reduce risks associated with their presence. Gendarmerie halts helicopter surveillance
The gendarmerie stopped its helicopter surveillance on Thursday, which had yielded no results, but continues land checks, especially around the Landes testing center. Treasure hunters on the beaches
Authorities noted a significant gathering of people on the beaches, some using all-terrain vehicles or motorcycles to search for the drugs, as the information about the cocaine quickly reached them. Past cocaine discoveries in the area
Several cocaine packages had previously washed up on the beaches of Porge in 2019, with more than 144 kg recovered between the Basque Country and Charente-Maritime during that incident. Surveillance near testing center continues
The gendarmerie continues checks near the Landes testing center, as it is forbidden to approach the site, and those who try to get close are checked and sometimes fined. Legal consequences for drug-related offenses
According to the law, the transport, possession, or sale of illicit narcotics can result in up to ten years in prison and a fine of 7.5 million euros. If someone finds a package, they should not touch it and should contact the authorities.
