The operation resulted in the seizure of more than 9 tons of narcotics, with an estimated market value exceeding $3 billion. The ship belongs to a Turkish shipowner identified as H.B.T.
The vessel, reported to be in scrap-worthy condition and valued at approximately $200,000, left Istanbul on November 12, 2024. According to security sources, the ship docked in Guinea-Bissau on December 10, 2024, and departed on December 13, heading toward Martinique in the Caribbean.
Located near Colombia and Venezuela, Martinique is under French control and often considered a strategic point in the narcotics trade due to its proximity to drug production hubs.
On December 28, the ship turned off its radar signal, raising suspicion. The French Navy intercepted the vessel on January 10, 2025, discovering 250 packages onboard. Tests confirmed the presence of cocaine, with the street value of the narcotics exceeding $3 billion.
This marks the fifth incident in the past three years involving Turkish-owned vessels carrying large quantities of narcotics. Combined, these operations have intercepted over 25 tons of drugs, valued at approximately $10 billion.
