French customs authorities have seized nearly 3.9 tonnes of cocaine worth an estimated €225 million (about US$261 million) at the northern port of Dunkirk, after the drugs arrived in a container shipped from Ghana.
The cocaine was concealed inside a container carrying plastic waste. French authorities said the shipment was initially destined, in part, for the Belgian port of Antwerp.
The seizure was made on Thursday, September 10, following an investigation by France’s judicial police into the criminal network allegedly behind the shipment.
French prosecutors have opened an investigation into the suspected organised importation of narcotics and participation in a criminal association.
The offences carry potential prison sentences of up to 10 years.
The seized cocaine has since been destroyed, according to the French organised crime prosecutor’s office.
The latest seizure highlights the continued use of maritime cargo routes to move large quantities of narcotics into Europe.
French customs seized 108.81 tonnes of narcotics across the country in 2025, with an estimated value of €2.197 billion.
The investigation is ongoing, with French authorities working to identify those behind the shipment.