French gendarmes seized 298 plants of cannabis on the main island of Tahiti on 24 January. Photo: Gendarmerie de Polynésie française.
New drug believed to be on its way to Pacific: intelligence
Fentanyl, a new drug that has already become a major issue in the US, is believed to be arriving soon to the Pacific, including French Polynesia.
The drug, described as an "extremely addictive" opioid, has been the subject of recent intelligence sharing between drug enforcement agencies in the US, Australia, New Zealand and French Polynesia chief public prosecutor Thomas Pison told Radio 1.
"Our security services and customs have regular exchanges with our good friends and counterparts in the US, Australia and New Zealand. And I have to say that these are very, very high quality exchanges. I'm not saying this just to be nice, that's fact."
In 2023, a total of 24kg of methamphetamines crystals were seized in French Polynesia.
Authorities estimate as many as 10,000 persons are regular consumers in French Polynesia.
Meanwhile, French gendarmes announced this week a major drug bust with 298 plants of cannabis found and seized on the main island of Tahiti on 24 January.
Four individuals have been arrested for questioning.
Since the beginning of the year, the total of cannabis plants seized and destroyed already amounts to 848, the same sources said.
French and Cook islands patrol boats conducted a series of joint exercises. Photo: French Navy
Joint exercise between French, Cook Islands vessels
French and Cook islands patrol boats have earlier this month conducted a series of joint exercises, especially regarding the procedures applied in fishing zones surveillance.
This included mock interrogations of suspected individuals, but also search and rescue exercises.
The joint training took place between French Navy Papeete-based Bougainville and Cooks islands' Te Kukupa II, under a so-called "Pacific Aito" mission which has been ongoing since 2 January, the French Defence ministry said in a release.
While in the area, the Bougainville also conducted a surveillance mission in the Cook Islands' exclusive economic zone (EEZ), which falls under its commitments to the Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA).
An artist’s impression of the new maritime terminal in Papeete. Photo: Architecte Charles Lacombe
More capacity to host tourist boats in Papeete
Construction works of a brand new maritime terminal building on the main wharf of Papeete is almost complete.
After two years of construction, the terminal will bring up French Polynesia's capacity to host as many as three luxury liners at the same time.
After the official opening at a yet unspecified date, the building is scheduled to be commissioned sometime in April.
The project's estimated cost is around US$20 million.
French High Commissioner Eric Spitz watches China’s envoy to French Polynesia, Lixiao Tian, deliver his speech for French-China’s 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations. Photo: Polynésie la 1ère
60th anniversary of France-China diplomatic links
The 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic links between France and China was also celebrated last week in Papeete.
Delivering a speech on the occasion, China's diplomatic envoy to French Polynesia, Lixiao Tian, stressed that good relations with French Polynesia was "an important component of (China's) overall relations with France".
He also reiterated his wish to see more development in terms of air links and tourism flows between China and French Polynesia.
"In today's multipolar and dangerous world, our interest is to multiply links with such countries as China, so that we can diversify our cooperation", France's representative in French Polynesia, High Commissioner Eric Spitz, told the attendance.
Several local government members were also in attendance.
French Polynesia is the home of a significant number of families of Chinese ascent, who have arrived during the first half of the 20th century and have since fully integrated in the economic, social and political fabrics of French Polynesia's society.
Swimmers enjoying the famous Baie des Citrons in Nouméa. Photo: NC la 1ere
Anti-shark nets lure more visitors to famous Nouméa beach
New anti-shark nets recently installed in the Baie des Citrons (Lemons Bay), an iconic Nouméa beach, seem not only to be doing their job, but are also attraction a noticeably high number of foreign tourists travelling on luxury liners.
The nets were installed two months ago as one of the responses to a shark incident early 2023, which killed an Australian tourist.
Local businesses, shop and restaurant owners providing food and other services have welcome the return of foreign visitors, but also locals, NC la 1ère reports.