French Polynesia customs nets 1.4 tonnes of cocaine

12:56 pm on 26 January 2017

Reports from French Polynesia say customs officials found 800 kilograms of cocaine on a yacht seized in Tahiti only days after finding 600 kilograms of the drug on another yacht off the Marquesas.

Generic cocaine, drugs

Photo: AFP

There has been little official communication about the operations but it has been confirmed that two people were on each boat and that they have been arrested.

Tahiti's Radio1 reported that both yachts were owned by a French citizen.

The station said customs officials awaited the arrival of one yacht as it had a broken engine.

The vessel was registered in Fort-de France, the capital of the French Caribbean department of Martinique and it was sailed by a Frenchman and a Panamanian who are now under arrest.

Last week, another yacht was intercepted by the French frigate Prairial near the Marquesas.

It was then reported that 400 kilograms of cocaine was found onboard but Radio1 said according to its information, 600 kilograms was found.

It said the two crew were Spaniards.

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