This file photo released on April 18, 2015 by French customs in Fort Saint-Louis military base in Fort-de-France, on the French Caribbean island of Martinique shows packs of cocaine stored after they were seized on April 15, 2015 on a sailboat off the French Caribbean island of Martinique.
Douanes Francaises—AFP/Getty Images
More than two tons of cocaine was seized from a boat off Martinique that was falsely sailing under an American flag, French authorities said Saturday, marking a record haul.
France’s Finance Ministry said the Wednesday raid took place 125 miles off the coast of the French Caribbean island and led to the arrest of three people, one Venezuelan and two Spanish citizens. Officials from Britain and Spain also participated in the operation.
Last week’s haul accounts for more than one-third of the 6.6 tons of cocaine that French customs officials seized in 2014.
More Must-Reads From TIME
- The Biggest Moments From the Second Republican Debate
- Rooftop Solar Power Has a Dark Side
- Death and Desperation Take Over the World's Largest Refugee Camp
- Right-Wing's New Aim: a Parallel Economy
- Is It Flu, COVID-19, or RSV? Navigating At-Home Tests
- Kerry Washington: The Story of My Abortion
- How Canada and India's Relationship Crumbled
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time