Reprinted from Caribbean Net News
caribbeannetnews.com

France seizes 4 tonnes of cocaine in Caribbean
11-16-2006

PARIS, France (Reuters): France said on Wednesday it had seized four tonnes of cocaine from a boat that was intercepted last week off the Caribbean island of Martinique.

The French navy boarded and took over the Panama-registered cargo ship on Saturday as it headed towards Spain, the Martinique prefecture said in a statement.

"This work was finally crowned with success on the morning of Wednesday, November 15 thanks to the discovery of roughly 4 tonnes of cocaine hidden in its (the ship's) structure," the statement said.

Francois Baroin, the minister for France's overseas departments and territories, welcomed the seizure.

"This operation, carried out with success, demonstrates the effectiveness and the vigilance of the naval surveillance system and the government's will to fight drug trafficking," he said in a statement.