French Customs (DGDDI) issued an urgent communiqué on 24 September reporting a sharp rise in methamphetamine interceptions on routes linking French Polynesia, the Antilles and mainland ports such as Le Havre. In the past week alone, officers seized 18 kg of crystal meth at Tahiti-Faa’a airport and a further 7 kg concealed in air-freight cartons arriving at Roissy. DGDDI says traffickers are exploiting post-pandemic staffing shortages and the phased rollout of the EU Entry/Exit System to test new concealment techniques, often mixing narcotics with legitimate cargoes carried by business couriers. Reinforced x-ray and canine teams have therefore been redeployed to Charles-de-Gaulle, Orly, Le Havre and Marseille, and random checks on passengers from French overseas territories have doubled this week. For corporate mobility managers, the immediate consequence is longer clearance times for unaccompanied baggage and temporary import carnets. Express-freight operators have told clients to expect up to 24 hours’ delay on high-value shipments passing through Roissy’s Hub Express. Companies moving staff under the Passeport Talent scheme have also been advised to allow extra time for yellow-channel customs interviews upon arrival. While the communiqué focuses on drug trafficking, trade bodies fear the tougher posture could spill over into routine business imports. The French International Freight Forwarders Association (FIATA France) warned that “zero-tolerance weekends” may coincide with the upcoming national transport strike, compounding bottlenecks. Customs officials insist the measures are temporary and will be “re-evaluated weekly”, but concede that if seizures continue to climb they may request an extension of the extraordinary controls permitted under Article 27 of the Schengen Borders Code. That could see inbound freight from non-Schengen territories diverted to secondary inspection facilities, adding cost and complexity for multinationals.
Source: DGDDI Press Release
