EUROPE IMAGES INTERNATIONAL - M5

Synopsis

Martinique... To many vacationers, the very name of the place is associated with white sandy beaches and coconut trees. That is the tourist side of Martinique.
But there is another side to the place: drugs, mainly cocaine.
1,000 tons are produced every year by Latin American countries (principally Colombia). Out of these 1,000 tons, a large part is exported to the United States (550 tons) but this route is closely monitored by the US authorities and has become more and more risky. The drug traffickers now produce more and more for Europe (300 tons a year).
In the last few years, the drugs route has changed radically.
Martinique, due to its geographical situation, is at the heart of this traffic.
The Caribbean branch of the French Drugs Squad (OCRTIS) came about after a visit by President Nicolas Sarkozy to Colombia in July 2003. It has been operational since October 2004. The aim is to block the flow of drugs further upstream. This branch is situated in the naval base at Fort de France.
It has a staff of around thirty: customs officers, police, sailors and foreign liaison officers (Great Britain and Spain).
The branch facilitates the gathering of information and opens cases.

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