Cocaine seizure

Cocaine seizure in Solomons shows smugglers' adapting

Police Commissioner Matthew Varley said it also shows the region's police forces are getting better at uncovering it.

He said the Solomons' operation disrupted the shipment of 500kg of cocaine with a street value of $US140million to 215m.

The shipment was found on board a yacht originating in South America.

A series of similar hauls in Fiji earlier this year prompted experts to speculate crime syndicates would redirect supply routes through other Pacific countries.

Two men detained after French Polynesia cocaine seizure

Reports said the yacht had run onto the reef at Faaite in the Tuamotus and was on fire when the two men were rescued and given medical care.

Tahiti-infos said the two yachties, who spoke no French, were then assisted to take the ferry to Tahiti.

When locals tried to clean up the debris of the burnt yacht, about 200 kilograms of cocaine was found amid signs that a huge quantity had been burnt.

The two yachties were subsequently taken into custody when they arrived in Tahiti.

 

Photo: AFP