FRENCH CUSTOMS SEIZE 826 KG OF COCAINE IN MAJOR DRUG BUST

An Emirati Magazine publication – Released on March 17, 2025 | www.emiratimagazine.com

French customs officials intercepted 826 kilograms of cocaine at a highway rest area en route to Lyon on Saturday, dealing a major blow to drug traffickers. The illicit haul, hidden in a truck driven by a Polish national, is valued at approximately 24 million euros. Authorities immediately arrested the driver, according to HotNews.

With an estimated street price of 30,000 euros per kilogram, the seizure underscores the growing scale of cocaine trafficking in France. In 2024 alone, authorities confiscated 53.5 tons of the drug—more than double the previous year’s total.

The country is grappling with a rising drug crisis, as a 2025 report revealed that 1.1 million people used cocaine in 2023, nearly double the 600,000 users recorded in 2022. Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau has described the situation as a “white tsunami,” warning of the violence and exploitation fueling the trade.