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On the beach of Capbreton, in the south-west of France, packets of cocaine have been discovered in recent days. GAIZKA IROZ / AFP

For several weeks, packets of cocaine regularly washed up on the French beaches of the Atlantic coast, from the Basque Country to the mouth of the Loire.

Where do these mysterious drug packets come from on the Atlantic coast at the mercy of the tides? According to the prosecutor's office in Rennes, 763 kg of drugs worth around 3 million euros have already been recovered between the Basque Country and the mouth of the Loire.

Several hypotheses are envisaged. According to the investigators, they could come from the cargo of a boat traffickers fell off because of bad weather and strong swells. It is also possible that they were deliberately dumped at sea by traffickers who, after a damage to their boat, feared to be controlled. As late as last September, similar bricks of cocaine ran aground in Florida, driven by currents after the passage of Hurricane Dorian .

Call for caution

Packages arrived in France, some of which are disemboweled after several days at sea, have been carefully packaged, wrapped in several layers of black plastic and transparent cellophane paper. "Diamante" or "Brillante" labels were stuck on it, probably to indicate the quality of the merchandise.

This is what worries most the police: the recovered cocaine would be pure to about 83%. The person who consumes it risks an overdose. The police therefore call on the population to be cautious. She recommends that those who discover these packages on the beach do not touch it and immediately notify the authorities. It also recalls that transporting this type of product is punishable by 10 years in prison. Several municipalities of the Gironde have already taken orders to prohibit access to the beaches. Others may follow, as the entire Atlantic coast is now affected by this tide of narcotics.

The first package containing a kilo of cocaine was found on October 18th in Vendée. Hundreds more were discovered next on the beaches of Charente-Maritime, Landes and Loire Atlantique. The phenomenon has become so widespread that the various services have implemented intensive surveillance. In Gironde for example, the helicopters of customs and gendarmerie fly over the coast to try to locate packages. Checks are also strengthened to check the trunks of vehicles.

Investigations initially initiated locally by the public prosecutor's offices of Saint-Nazaire, Bordeaux or Dax have been centralized since November 8 by a specialized court in Rennes. Police cooperation with the European and American authorities has also been established.