French customs seize 137 kilos of cocaine hidden in truck from Spain
French customs officers have seized nearly 137 kilograms of cocaine concealed in a truck traveling from Spain to the Netherlands, judicial authorities said on Wednesday, highlighting the growing use of road routes for cocaine trafficking in southwestern France.
The drugs, packaged into 120 blocks with an estimated street value of €5.5 million, were discovered in a sophisticated hidden compartment inside the truck’s tractor unit. The vehicle, registered in Spain, was intercepted during a customs operation in the southwest of the country.
The driver, a 38-year-old man holding both Moroccan and Spanish nationality, has been formally charged and placed in pretrial detention, according to the public prosecutor’s office in Bordeaux.
Judicial officials noted that the case reflects a broader trend in organized crime, as traffickers increasingly rely on land transport corridors between Spain and France. Authorities attribute this shift partly to tighter controls in major European seaports, prompting criminal networks to diversify their logistics.
Figures released by regional courts indicate a dramatic rise in cocaine seizures across southwestern France, with volumes climbing from tens of kilograms in 2023 to several tons by 2025. Nationwide, France has already surpassed its total cocaine seizures from the previous year, underlining the scale of the challenge faced by law enforcement.
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