Customs officials carried out three major cocaine seizures at the port of Dunkirk, intercepting more than 13 tonnes of narcotics.
The operations on February 7, 12 and 18, 2026, resulted in the confiscation of 1.9 tonnes, 8.4 tonnes – the largest customs seizure in France since early 2026 – and a further 2.8 tonnes.
Altogether, the drugs represent an estimated street value of nearly €865 million.
David Amiel, the French Minister for the Budget, said the seizures reflect the sustained efforts of customs authorities.
“Following a year in 2025 marked by the historic seizure of more than 31 tonnes of cocaine by French Customs, these three major operations carried out in Dunkirk in February alone demonstrate the continued and unwavering commitment of officers in the fight against drug trafficking,” he stated.
According to Frédérique Durand, regional director of customs in Dunkirk, the three shipments were “not necessarily linked to the same criminal organisations”.
She added that while some of the drugs were intended for the French market, another portion was destined for territories outside the European Union.
Dunkirk is no stranger to large-scale drug interceptions. France’s third-largest port was already the site of a record seizure in March 2025, when 10 tonnes of cocaine were discovered.
As in the latest cases, the drugs were hidden in containers carrying legitimate goods, a method commonly used by traffickers to exploit global trade flows.
Cocaine trafficking into Europe has reached unprecedented levels, driven by high production in Latin America and rising demand across the EU.
Major hubs such as Antwerp, long considered Europe’s primary entry point for cocaine, remain under intense scrutiny.
Increased controls in these large ports have prompted traffickers to diversify their routes, increasingly targeting smaller or less closely monitored ports such as Dunkirk to reduce the risk of detection.
The surge in trafficking through both major and secondary European ports highlights the growing pressure on customs authorities, as criminal networks constantly adapt their methods and expand their reach across international supply chains, experts said.
