French Customs Seize 3.9 Tonnes of Narcotics Hidden in Ghana Plastic Waste at Dunkirk

• French customs officers intercepted nearly 3.9 metric tons of narcotics at the northern port of Dunkirk on Thursday
• The narcotics, valued at an estimated €225 million, was concealed inside a container of plastic waste shipped from Ghana
• France's organised crime prosecutor has since opened an investigation into the criminal network alleged to be behind the shipment

French customs officers at the port of Dunkirk have intercepted nearly 3.9 metric tonnes of coke hidden inside a container of plastic waste that had originated from Ghana, the French organised crime prosecutor's office confirmed on Thursday.

The seized narcotics carry an estimated street value of €225 million, equivalent to approximately $261.45 million.

The shipment had been partially destined for the Belgian port of Antwerp before French authorities intervened.

Investigators from France's judicial police had already identified the criminal network suspected of orchestrating the operation before the physical seizure was made.

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Reuters reported that the narcotics has since been destroyed by authorities.

The French prosecutor's office has opened a formal investigation into the case.

Those under scrutiny face charges that include the organised importation of narcotics and participation in a criminal association, offences that carry penalties of up to 10 years' imprisonment.

France's Wider Battle Against Drug Trade

The Dunkirk bust is among the largest recorded in recent French customs history and arrives against a backdrop of sustained anti-narcotics enforcement across the country.

French customs seized a total of 108.81 tonnes of narcotics of all drug types across France in 2025, with a combined estimated value of €2.197 billion.

The use of legitimate cargo containers to smuggle narcotics through European ports has become an increasingly common method employed by networks operating between South America, West Africa, and Europe.

Source: YEN.com.gh