Customs officers in French Polynesia have intercepted nearly half a tonne of cocaine at the Port of Papeete after uncovering the illicit drugs inside a shipping container bound for Australia.
The seizure, made on Thursday, February 5, is being described as a significant blow to international criminal organisations, coming amid a series of recent cocaine interceptions at sea across the Pacific.
Authorities said customs officers flagged the container for inspection after analysing cargo data and identifying a “significant level of sensitivity”.
The container originated from the United States and had transited through the Caribbean before arriving in Papeete.
During a closer inspection, officers discovered 16 bales concealed between two rows of pallets. The bales were visibly inconsistent with the rest of the cargo.
Upon weighing, each bale was found to be approximately 30 kilograms. Together, they amounted to a gross weight of 473.5 kilograms — just under half a tonne. Field tests later confirmed the substance to be cocaine.
Customs officials said the seizure marks the largest cocaine interception ever made in French Polynesia involving containerised freight.
It surpasses previous major hauls by local customs authorities in 2025, including 142 kilograms seized in March, 90 kilograms in July and 30 kilograms in November.
All were linked to transit routes destined for Australia or New Zealand.
