France: nearly 157 tonnes of drugs entered in 2022, including 27 tonnes of cocaine

According to the Minister of the Interior, 128 tonnes of cannabis have been entered, corresponding to 15 % more than the previous year.

MO12345lemonde with AFP

The French authorities seized 156.7 tonnes of drugs in 2022, announced on Wednesday 1 , the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin. “The fight against drug trafficking is more than ever the mother of all battles,” said Darmanin at a joint press conference alongside the Minister of Justice, Eric Dupond-Moretti, and that of accounts audiences, Gabriel Attal.

In detail, 128 tonnes of cannabis were seized (+ 15 % compared to the previous year), which represents a record at “no comparable level”, according to the Minister of the Interior. In 2022, 27 tonnes of cocaine (+ 5 %) were seized, 55 % of which came from the Antilles and Guyana. “We must avoid that this white tsunami reaching our ribs,” said Gabriel Attal.

“Historical” cocaine seizure on the port of Le Havre

The Minister of Public Accounts, on which customs depend, announced that a “historic” cocaine seizure had been carried out on February 19 by its services on the port of Le Havre, with 1.9 tonnes of powder intercepted in a few days.

He said that the government would not show “neither angelism nor cowardice” to combat drug trafficking. Finally, 1.4 tonnes of heroine (+ 8 %) and 273 kilos of synthetic drugs (+ 21 %) were seized in France in 2022.