An Italian woman has been sentenced to five years in prison and banned from entering French territory for ten years. She was also fined 7.5 million euros for customs violations, according to reports from BFM Toulon Var and French customs authorities. The sentencing took place on Wednesday, September 16, at the Draguignan court. The case stems from an investigation that began in July when 57 kilograms of cocaine were discovered hidden in a car at the Capitou toll near Fréjus. At the time, the driver fled the scene, prompting a probe by the Toulon judicial police. Authorities used phone taps and geolocation data to track the woman, who had been making regular trips between Spain and Italy. On September 12, she was arrested during a customs operation at the Capitou toll. During the search of her car, 57 kilograms of cocaine were again found hidden in compartments. She was taken into custody and brought before the court for an immediate appearance. The investigation linked her to the July seizure, during which she had acted as a "convoy opener"—a term used to describe someone who leads a group of vehicles to help smugglers avoid detection. The customs fine was calculated based on the amount of drugs found during the seizure. This case is similar to a previous one from July, when a driver was fined 8.3 million euros after 127 kilograms of cocaine were discovered hidden in dog food packages at the same toll. These incidents highlight the ongoing efforts by French authorities to combat drug smuggling through border checkpoints.