Noumea: A record 2.5 tons of cocaine was seized off New Caledonia from a vessel en route to Australia, as reported by Radio New Zealand on Wednesday. The operation, carried out last week, involved the French Navy's overseas patrol vessel and was supported by aerial reconnaissance from a "Gardian" Falcon Jet of the French Navy.

According to Anadolu Agency, the cocaine was discovered aboard the Panama-flagged SM Dante, which had departed from Peru in May, with Australia as its intended destination. The operation resulted in the arrest of seven crew members, including two from Portugal and five from Ecuador.

Since 2012, French authorities have intercepted six vessels carrying drugs and narcotics, primarily cocaine. This latest operation surpasses the previous record of 578 kilograms of cocaine seized in October 2017. Last month, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime reported that Australia and New Zealand have the highest prevalence of cocaine use globally, with both countries also recording the highest rates of ecstasy use worldwide.