Irishman held in major French cannabis seizure

French customs officials seized 1.5 metric tons of cannabis resin in truck driven by an Irishman, the government said today.

French customs officials seized 1.5 metric tons of cannabis resin in truck driven by an Irishman, the government said today.

Agents in the south-western border town of Perthus made the seizure on August 2nd, during the random inspection of a truck bearing Dutch licence plates.

The truck, bound for England, was stopped on a highway that links France with neighbouring Spain.

Some 49 bundles of cannabis resin were found hidden among boxes of wicker baskets.

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The drug's value was estimated at more than €2 million.

The driver, a 43-year-old Irish national, was taken in for police questioning. His name was not released.

French authorities raised the annual target for cannabis seizures from 75 metric tons in 2004 to 80 metric tons this year. A total of 50 metric tons of marijuana has been seized this year so far.

PA