G7+ Port Network Against Drug Trafficking Launched in Marseille with 14 Ports

A network of 14 ports held its first meeting in Marseille with the goal of tracking drug shipments, France's Foreign Minister announced. The G7+ Port Network to Combat Drug Trafficking had been announced by G7 leaders in Évian in June 2026 and aims to improve information sharing among port authorities, customs and security agencies.

The initiative brings together the seven G7 countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States) along with Brazil and South Korea, which endorsed the Évian declaration. Among the participating ports identified are Marseille, Le Havre and Dunkerque in France, Hamburg in Germany, Genoa in Italy, Busan in South Korea and Houston in the United States.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot noted that the network will use artificial intelligence tools to track suspicious shipments and improve coordination among the participating ports. Interpol, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the World Customs Organization (WCO) are also involved, along with private sector representatives.

According to the French government, 70% of the drugs entering Europe arrive by sea, making maritime transport a central target of the anti-drug strategy. French authorities processed 20 requests to board vessels suspected of drug trafficking on the high seas during 2025, allowing French navy ships to seize nearly 40 tonnes of narcotics, almost entirely cocaine.

Since November 2025, France has signed more than 20 bilateral cooperation agreements and increased by more than 30% the specialized personnel deployed in Latin America and the Caribbean. The network is part of a broader anti-drug strategy unveiled by France on November 9, and governments committed to coordinating their activities with existing initiatives such as the European Port Alliance.