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UNCLAS PARIS 002122 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SNAR PREL FR
SUBJECT: INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL STRATEGY REPORT 
PART 1, DRUGS AND CHEMICAL CONTROL: FRANCE 
 
REF: STATE 0992 
 
  ¶1.  Summary 
 
France continues to be a major transshipment point for 
drugs moving through Europe.  Given France,s shared borders 
with trafficking conduits such as Spain, Italy, and 
Belgium, France is a natural distribution point for drugs 
moving toward North America from Europe and the Middle 
East.  France,s presence in the Caribbean, its proximity to 
North Africa, and its participation in the Schengen open 
border system, contribute to its desirability as a transit 
point for drugs, including drugs originating in South 
America.  France,s own large domestic market of 
predominantly cannabis users is attractive to traffickers 
as well. Specifically, in descending order, cannabis 
originating in Spain and Morocco, cocaine from South 
America, heroin originating in or transiting through 
Turkey, Belgium, and the Netherlands, and Ecstasy (MDMA) 
originating in the Netherlands and Germany, all find their 
way to France. 
 
The total number of seizures reported in 2007 (latest 
public figures) increased by 20.62 percent from 2005 levels 
to 94,431), including seizures of some cannabis products, 
morphine, amphetamines, LSD and psychotropic mushrooms.  The 
gross total 
of the quantity of seizures of cocaine (HCL), Heroin, Khat, 
and MDMA, which increased in 2006, decreased in 2007.  Drug 
trafficking and possession arrests increased in 2007 by 
21.57 percent to 134,320.  This represents the largest 
increase in seizures in the last thirty years.  France is a 
party to the 1988 UN Drug Convention. 
 
¶2.  Status of Country 
 
Cannabis users are the largest group of drug users in 
France, according to official French government 
statistics.  By contrast, users of the next most popular 
drugs, heroin and cocaine, account for approximately 5.7 
percent and 3.58 percent of the total number of drug 
abusers respectively.  France,s drug control agency, the 
Mission Interministerielle de la Lutte Contre la Drogue et 
la Toxicomanie (MIDLT, or the Interministerial Mission for 
the Fight Against Drugs and Drug Addiction), is the focal 
point for French national drug control policy.  Created in 
1990, the MILDT (which received its current name in 1996) 
coordinates the 19 ministerial departments that have direct 
roles in establishing, implementing, and enforcing France,s 
domestic and international drug control strategy.  The 
MILDT is primarily a policy organ, but cooperates closely 
with law enforcement officials. The French also participate 
in regional cooperation programs initiated and sponsored by 
the European Union. 
 
Possession of drugs for personal use and 
possession of drugs for distribution both constitute crimes 
under French law and both laws are regularly enforced. 
Penalties for drug trafficking can include up to life 
imprisonment.  French narcotics agencies are effective, 
technically capable and make heavy use of electronic 
surveillance capabilities.  In France, the counterpart to 
the DEA is the Office Centrale pour la Repression du 
Traffic Illicite des Stupefiants (OCRTIS), also referred to 
as the Central Narcotics Office (CNO).  French authorities 
report that France based drug rings appear to be 
decreasingly focused on a singly activity, and are 
increasingly involved in other criminal activities such as 
money laundering and clandestine gambling. 
 
¶3.  Country Actions Against Drugs in 2007 
 
Policy Initiatives.  In late 2004, France launched a five 
year action plan called "Programme Drogue et Toxicomanie" 
(Drug and Addiction Program) to reduce drug use among the 
population and lessen social health damage caused by the 
use and trafficking of narcotics.  A full assessment of the 
program is expected to be published during 2008, when it 
reaches the end of its planned duration.  Depending upon 
the result of this assessment, a new program will be 
introduced.  The 2004 program,s successes include launching 
a 38 million euro(approx. $50.5 million) national information 
campaign on cannabis use in 2005 as well as increased 
options in France,s medical treatment for cannabis and 
heroin users/addicts.  The program also provided funding 
(up to 1.2 million euro (approx. $1.6 million)) for France,s 
contributions to EU and UN counternarcotics programs in 
four policy areas: Central and Eastern Europe, Africa, 
Central Asia, and Latin America/Caribbean. 
 
While France,s bilateral counternarcotics programs focus on 
the Caribbean basin, special technical bilateral assistance 
has also been provided to Afghanistan through France,s 
 
Development Agency (AFD).  10 million euro -- approximately 
$13 
million euro went to training Afghan counternarcotics police 
and to fund a crop substitution program that will boost 
cotton cultivation in the Afghan provinces of Konduz and 
Balkh. 
 
Law Enforcement Efforts.  In 2008, French authorities made 
multiple important narcotics seizures.  Below find some 
representative examples: 
 
In an ongoing investigation begun in 2007, French police 
identified a major drug supplier operating in the Gien 
area.  A round of arrests was made beginning April 1 that 
netted 28 kilograms of heroin and 425,580 euros cash. 
 
On May 6, 2008, French customs searched a tractor-trailer 
and discovered 7,746.24 kilograms (7.746 tons) of hashish 
destined for Great Britain. 
 
June 3, 2008, during routine controls on a train traveling 
between Paris and Mulhouse, French police apprehended a man 
carrying over 20,000 Ecstasy pills -- originating in the 
Netherlands -- in his clothes and luggage. 
 
On November 13, 2008, French police discovered 600 
kilograms (about 1320 pounds) of cannabis resin destined 
for Paris. 
 
Corruption.  As a matter of government policy, France is 
firmly committed to the fight against drug trafficking 
domestically and internationally.  The government does not 
encourage or facilitate illicit production or distribution 
of narcotic or psychotropic drugs or other controlled 
substances, or the proceeds from illegal drug 
transactions.  Similarly, no senior government official is 
alleged to have participated in such activities. 
 
Agreements and Treaties.  France is a party to the 1988 UN 
Drug Convention, the 1971 UN Convention on Psychotropic 
Substances, and the 1961 UN Single Convention as amended by 
the 1972 Protocol, and a 1971 agreement on coordinating 
action against illegal trafficking.  France and the U.S. 
have an extradition treaty and an MLAT, which provides for 
assistance in the prevention, investigation, and the 
prosecution of crime, including drug offenses.  In 2004, 
bilateral supplemental extradition and mutual legal 
assistance instruments were concluded in order to 
implement agreements in these areas between the U.S. and 
the EU, which will enhance cooperation further once they 
enter into force.  The U.S. also has a Customs Mutual 
Assistance Agreement (CMAA) with France.  France is a party 
to the UN Convention against Corruption and the UN 
Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its 
protocols against migrant smuggling and trafficking in 
persons. 
 
Cultivation/Production.  French authorities believe that 
the cultivation and production of illicit drugs is not a 
significant problem in France.  France cultivates opium 
poppies under strict legal controls for medical use, and 
produces amphetamines as pharmaceuticals.  The government 
reports its production of both products to the 
International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) and cooperates 
with the DEA to monitor and control these products. 
According to authorities, the majority of illicit drugs 
produced in France come from smaller home laboratories. 
 
Drug Flow/Transit.  There is no evidence that significant 
amounts of heroin or cocaine enter the United States from 
France.  France is a transshipment point for illicit drugs 
to other European countries.  Traffickers move heroin from 
both Southwest and Southeast Asia (of Burmese origin) to 
the United States through West Africa and France, with 
back-haul of cocaine from South America to France through 
the United States and West Africa.  New routes for 
transporting heroin from southwest Asia to Europe are 
developing through Central Asia and Russia and into Belgium 
and the Netherlands.  West African drug traffickers (mostly 
Nigerian) are also using France as a transshipment point 
for heroin and cocaine.  Law enforcement officials believe 
these West African and South American traffickers are 
stockpiling heroin and cocaine in Africa before shipping it 
to final destinations. Most of the South American cocaine 
entering France comes through Spain and Portugal.  To 
counter this flow, France joined six other European 
countries to form the Maritime Analysis and Operations 
Center-Narcotics (MAOC-N)in Lisbon, which should bolster EU 
capacity to protect its southwestern flank.  In addition, 
officials are seeing an increase in cocaine coming directly 
to France from the French Caribbean, giving impetus to the 
creation of the Martinique Task Force: a joint effort with 
Spain, Columbia, and the UK.  France also has seconded a 
 
Liaison Officer to Joint Interagency Task Force South to 
coordinate maritime counternarcotics operations in the 
Caribbean Basin.  Most of the Ecstasy in or transiting 
France is produced in the Ntherlands or Belgium. 
 
Domestic Programs/Demand Reduction.  MILDT is responsible 
for coordinating France,s demand reduction programs.  Drug 
education efforts target government officials, counselors, 
teachers, and medical personnel, with the objective of 
giving these opinion leaders the information they need to 
assist those endangered by drug abuse in the community.  In 
an effort to combat the consumption of cannabis in France, 
which has consistently increased over the past 20 years, in 
October of 2007, Etienne Apaire, the President of MIDLT 
(since September 2007) announced a new government policy 
aimed at cannabis users.  Beginning in 2008, the state will 
force those arrested for cannabis use to take a two day 
class on the dangers of cannabis consumption.  The cost of 
the class, 450 euros (approx. $660), will be paid by the drug 
user.  France,s current law (dating from 1970) includes 
stiff penalties for cannabis use including up to a year 
prison sentence and a 3750 euro(approx. $5,515) fine though 
the penalties are rarely, if ever, applied.  This new 
measure is intended to be a more effective approach towards 
the prevention of cannabis use. 
 
¶4.  U.S. Policy Initiatives and Programs 
 
Policy Initiatives/Bilateral Cooperation.  U.S. and GOF 
counternarcotics law enforcement cooperation remains good. 
During 2008, the DEA,s Paris Country Office and the French 
OCRTIS continued to routinely share operational 
intelligence and support one another,s investigations.  The 
DEA and the OCRTIS shared intelligence was developed from a 
program which identifies orders for precursor chemicals 
placed from French companies for exportation outside of 
France.  Since its inception seven years ago, this program 
has resulted in the seizure of 33 MDMA labs worldwide 
(including 22 in the U.S.), and the arrest of 65 
individuals involved in the supply chain. 
 
Additionally, during 2008 the DEA,s Paris Office passed 
intelligence to OCRTIS regarding two possible drug couriers 
intending to transit France while traveling from Turkey to 
the United States.  As a result of this information, in 
February French authorities arrested two Orthodox Rabbis 
transporting approximately 12 kilograms of morphine base in 
concealed compartments built into their suitcases. 
 
Information developed from the French investigation was 
shared with the DEA and several other countries, law 
enforcement services, which as led to a number of valuable 
investigative links.  The DEA and the OCRTIS regularly 
exchange information relating to suspected airline internal 
drug couriers traveling internationally, and other routine 
law enforcement information that leads to arrests and drug 
seizures. 
 
The Road Ahead. The United States will continue its 
cooperation with France on all counternarcotics fronts, 
including through multilateral efforts such as the Dublin 
Group of countries coordinating narcotics assistance and 
the UNODC. 
 
STAPLETON