Six men were arrested during the night of 2 to 3 July 2026 at Petit-Bourg during a gendarmerie operation.[1] Six people were caught in the act while the cargo was being unloaded on the Petit-Bourg landing.[2] After several hours of surveillance, officers intervened at about 4 a.m. as the boat landed and unloading began, finding a utility vehicle with a trailer intended to carry the goods on site.[1] All six suspects were placed in police custody in gendarmerie premises.[2]
On the night of Thursday 2 to Friday 3 July, a large gendarmerie deployment was set up.[2] The inquiry began after information reached the Guadeloupe gendarmerie’s judicial support section about an imminent boat arrival from Dominica suspected of carrying a large contraband cargo.[1] A large deployment covered the landing that night, with units from the Saint-Claude and Pointe-à-Pitre companies plus the nautical brigade, the GIGN antenna, the Republican Guard intervention platoon, the State coastal action group and the interministerial research group.[1] Searches seized 55 kilograms of cannabis herb and 56 cartons of Camel Yellow cigarettes, or 2,800 cartouches representing almost 560 kilograms of tobacco.[1] The market value of that cargo was put at more than 378,000 euros.[1] Officers also confiscated a saintoise-type boat fitted with two 115-horsepower engines, valued at about 15,000 euros.[1] Several new number-plate sets, mobile phones and passports were also seized for use in the investigation.[1]
The investigation was entrusted to the Pointe-à-Pitre research brigade under the prosecutor to establish each suspect’s role and identify possible ramifications of the smuggling network.[1] Two of the suspects who waited on shore for the boat will be summoned before the court in collegial hearing in January 2027.[1] The four other suspects were due to appear for immediate trial on Monday afternoon, 6 July, to answer charges of smuggled-cigarette importation and drug trafficking.[1]
