A legal grey area has emerged over who will investigate a suspected drug-smuggling vessel found carrying almost five tonnes of cocaine bound for Australia.
The ship, crewed by 11 Honduran and Ecuadorian nationals, was intercepted by French armed forces in international waters near French Polynesia two weeks ago.
Authorities haven’t put a dollar figure on the seized cocaine but experts say it has a street value of as much as $1.5 billion in Australia.
French Polynesian President Moetai Brotherson confirmed to the ABC that authorities dumped the haul at sea.
“When you throw all the merchandise, you know, in the ocean, it’s a big loss for these drug dealers,” he said.
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https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02-06/french-authorities-sink-five-tonnes-of-cocaine/106307438
