French authorities launched an unprecedented anti-drug operation at Paris-Orly airport on Tuesday, conducting a comprehensive screening of every passenger, crew member, and piece of cargo aboard a flight arriving from Martinique in what officials described as a first-of-its-kind operation at an arrival airport in France.
The Paris police prefecture announced that nearly 400 police officers, gendarmes, and customs agents were mobilized for the massive operation targeting a flight from Fort-de-France, the capital of the French Caribbean territory. The operation represents a significant escalation in France's efforts to combat drug trafficking from its overseas territories.
According to authorities, the '100% control' operation covered all passengers, crew members, cargo, and luggage, both in the cabin and in the aircraft's hold. Officials stated the operation aims to prevent the introduction of narcotics onto national territory and send a clear message to criminal networks that French airports, particularly those in Paris, are not safe entry points for illicit activities.
The screening process includes detection procedures, questionnaires, and drug testing for all individuals aboard the aircraft. In addition, medical teams equipped with body scanners are on site to identify drug mules who may have swallowed or concealed narcotics inside their bodies. Any person found to be transporting drugs internally is immediately transferred to a hospital for medical supervision and extraction.
This operation marks the first time such a comprehensive control has been conducted at an arrival airport in France. Previously, similar '100% control' operations had been implemented at departure airports in French Guiana and the French Antilles, targeting travelers heading to mainland France.
The timing of this operation is significant given recent events and mounting pressure related to drug trafficking in Martinique. The French Navy seized nine tons of cocaine from a vessel off the coast of Martinique in January 2026, highlighting the Caribbean island's role as a major transit point for South American cocaine destined for Europe.
French Interior Minister emphasized that this operation demonstrates the government's determination to disrupt drug trafficking networks that use overseas territories as transit points. The prefecture indicated that similar operations could be conducted on other flights in the future, keeping criminal organizations uncertain about when and where controls will be deployed.
The initiative comes as part of broader efforts by French authorities to address the growing drug trafficking crisis affecting both overseas territories and mainland France, where cocaine consumption has reached record levels in recent years.
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