5 big analyst AI moves: Nvidia guidance warning; Snowflake, Palo Alto upgraded
Investing.com -- Over the weekend, French authorities confiscated 10 tonnes of cocaine at the port of Dunkirk. The French media, without official confirmation, have reported this to be the largest ever cocaine seizure in metropolitan France, making up nearly a fifth of all cocaine seized last year.
Actu 17, a French media outlet, reported that the drugs were concealed within containers and have an estimated market value of approximately 320 million euros ($339 million). The local daily La Voix du Nord suggested that the shipment originated from South America, however, the prosecutor’s office declined to comment further on these details.
In 2024, France’s interior ministry reported that 53.5 tonnes of cocaine were seized in the country, marking a 130% increase from the 23.2 tonnes confiscated in 2023. Meanwhile, seizures of cannabis in France decreased by 19% to 101 tonnes in 2024, down from 124.7 tonnes in 2023, according to the interior ministry’s data.
The European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) states that cocaine, following cannabis, is the second-most commonly used illicit drug in Europe. In 2022, EU member states reported a record 84,000 cocaine seizures, totaling 323 tonnes, which is an increase from 303 tonnes in 2021, as per the EUDA 2024 report.
The report also stated that three European countries accounted for 68% of the total quantity seized: Belgium with 111 tonnes, the Netherlands with 51.5 tonnes, and Spain with 58.3 tonnes, demonstrating their significance as entry points for cocaine trafficked into Europe.
This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.