France issues “narco-tourism” alert as washed-up cocaine draws salvagers to Normandy
The French authorities have issued a “narco tourism” alert for beaches in Normandy following the discovery of two tonnes of cocaine on the shoreline. Beachcombers have been visiting the site, hoping to salvage some of the lost cargo.
Villagers along the Normandy coasts were surprised by waves of unfamiliar faces arriving on nearby beaches, many in luxury cars and 4X4s – some equipped with quadbikes. Local prosecutor Philippe Astruc was forced to issue a public warning on Friday, describing the influx of beachcombers as “narco-tourism”.
“The act of taking possession of one of these bundles and transporting it is a crime that carries a punishment of up to ten years in prison,” Astruc told reporters. He went on to note that the cocaine in the packages was likely to be 80-90%, much more potent than anything sold by street dealers and that it, therefore, posed significant health risks.
Astruc used the example of a young man who died in 2019 after taking cocaine he found washed up on a beach along the west coast of France. “At the present time, we don’t know the purity of this substance,” he said, adding that if the drug was the usual strength of imported cocaine, it would be “fatal” to anyone who consumed it.
Sealed, watertight packages of cocaine have been found near villages such as Néville-sur-mer, Omonville-la-Rogue and Réville. The total street value of the cocaine is estimated at €150m (£133m).
Speaking to a reporter for the Parisien newspaper, Yves Asseline, the mayor of Réville, said: “The sea brings us many things, but this is obviously very unusual. We’ve seen people arriving in 4x4s, brand new cars or with quad bikes on the beach, sometimes at dawn with head torches.”
Police investigators are still unsure about where the cocaine came from.
