The Cartel of the Suns has identified the islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique—French overseas territories—as strategic nodes on the “Highway 10” for cocaine trafficking towards France, where drug trafficking has been designated a national issue.
This is documented in a strategic intelligence report produced by Estudio San Martín—an Argentine institution focused on security—titled “France at War,” which addresses the multifaceted crisis caused by drug trafficking in France starting in 2024. The report details how drug trafficking has escalated violence, generated institutional corruption, and eroded the legitimacy of Emmanuel Macron’s government.
The report also analyzes internal political tensions, pressure from the United States for France to align with Caribbean policies, and the concern over alleged Russian intelligence involvement in organized crime as part of a coercive diplomacy strategy.
Cartel of the Suns: modus operandi of trafficking
The report describes the drug trafficking modus operandi employed by the Cartel of the Suns as follows:
- Production: Cocaine is produced in laboratories in Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, and Venezuela.
- Initial transport: It’s loaded onto vessels (speedboats, fishing boats, sailboats) from ports like La Guaira in Venezuela or Buenaventura in Colombia.
- Arrival in French Caribbean: After a journey of 2 to 5 days, the drugs land on remote shores of Guadeloupe or Martinique.
- Storage and repackaging: It’s hidden in clandestine warehouses before being camouflaged.
- Shipping to Europe: It’s smuggled onto commercial flights or legal cargo containers heading to ports like Le Havre or Marseille, or to other European hubs such as Rotterdam and Antwerp.
Drug trafficking as a national issue and a threat to sovereignty
The report states that France is embroiled in a war against drug trafficking, which has transcended criminal realms to become a state issue—a threat to its sovereignty, institutional stability, and national security.
Despite President Emmanuel Macron’s declaration of “the mother of all battles” in March 2024, all key indicators have deteriorated: drug consumption, associated violence, fatalities, and the involvement of minors have alarmingly increased. The worst part is that the crisis has spread from urban centers to the entire national territory, with particular severity in the overseas departments of Guadeloupe and Martinique.
The report highlights that these Caribbean territories have emerged as strategic nodes on the “Highway 10,” the main cocaine route that, under the logistics of the Cartel of the Suns, connects South America with Europe. Institutional corruption, erosion of governmental legitimacy, and socioeconomic tensions in these islands have created a favorable environment for criminal networks, turning them into the origin point for over 50% of the cocaine reaching mainland France.
Under pressure from the United States, the French government has shifted from a reactive stance to a militarized offensive by deploying naval resources, increasing surveillance, and enacting a new anti-narcotics law in 2025. This escalation occurs amid a deep economic and political crisis, with rampant public debt and a fragmented parliament that weakens the government.
- Naval deployment: Naval presence in the Caribbean has been strengthened with the frigate Ventôse, participating in patrols and joint operations.
- Land reinforcements: An additional 300 gendarmes have been dispatched to the Antilles, along with drones, radar, and ballistic labs.
- NARCOPS operations: The National Navy leads these operations, which have seized 38.5 tons of drugs by August 2025.
- International cooperation: France coordinates satellite intelligence and patrols with the U.S. and has signed surveillance agreements with countries like Honduras.
The situation becomes even more complicated with intelligence reports suggesting possible involvement of Russian intelligence services, allegedly using organized crime networks as a tool of “coercive diplomacy” against Europe.
Escalation of the drug trafficking crisis
The report indicates that since President Macron declared war on drug trafficking, the situation has drastically worsened, turning the issue into a national priority and generating warnings of a potential institutional collapse.
The “Mother of the Battles” declared by Macron in March 2024 is yielding opposite results a year and a half later. Key indicators reflect clear deterioration:
- Increase in consumers: Cocaine consumption nearly doubled, rising from 600,000 people in 2022 to 1.1 million in 2023.
- Rise in violence: Territorial disputes between gangs triggered an increase in homicides, particularly in the overseas territories.
- Geographical expansion: Senator Etienne Blanc noted that drug trafficking, previously confined to urban areas, “now floods all of France,” even reaching laboratories in rural towns.
- Increased involvement of minors: The number of young individuals engaged in drug trafficking networks is on the rise.
Official figures reflect the magnitude of the crisis.
| Indicator | Data | Period / Source |
|---|---|---|
| Cocaine Consumption | 1.1 million people | 2023 (OFDT) |
| 600,000 people | 2022 (OFDT) | |
| Cocaine Seizures | 53.5 tons | 2024 (OFDT) |
| 23 tons | 2023 (OFDT) | |
| 37.5 tons | First half of 2025 | |
| Increase in Seizures | +130% | 2024 vs. 2023 |
| +45% | H1 2025 vs. H1 2024 | |
| Homicides in Martinique | 16 homicides | 2024 |
Caribbean front: Guadeloupe and Martinique as strategic nodes
The report notably categorizes the French overseas territories—Guadeloupe and Martinique—as a logistical epicenter for drug trafficking towards Europe, acting as a vulnerable and strategic entry point for transnational criminal networks.
The so-called “Highway 10” is a maritime route that roughly follows the 10th parallel north, connecting the coasts of South America with West Africa before distributing cocaine across Europe.
- Main operator: The Cartel of the Suns, a criminal network tied to high-ranking Venezuelan military officials, is the dominant player on this route.
- Traffic volume: In 2009, the UN estimated that 250 tons circulated annually via this route. Current conservative estimates place the volume between 400 and 500 tons.
- Role of the French Caribbean: Guadeloupe and Martinique are not part of the main African route but serve as crucial secondary and diversion nodes, especially for shipments evading U.S. naval surveillance in the Caribbean.
These islands serve as prime transit points due to a combination of factors:
- Strategic location: They act as a natural bridge between South American producers and the European market.
- Political status: As departments of the European Union, they allow the movement of goods and people to mainland France without strict customs controls, facilitating the concealment of drugs in commercial flights and legal cargo (bananas, rum).
- Security weaknesses: The low police density in coastal areas, lack of personnel for inspections, and endemic corruption enable illicit operations.
- Socioeconomic factors: High unemployment (close to 13% in Martinique) aids cartel recruitment of young people.
- Strategic importance: Over 50% of the cocaine seized in mainland France originates from these territories.
Diplomatic initiatives and internal tensions
- European Coalition (October 2025): Macron, alongside Italy and Spain, pushed for a European coalition against drug trafficking to coordinate measures among 35 leaders.
- Ministerial conflicts: A structural friction exists between the Ministry of the Interior (focused on security and repression) and the Ministry of Overseas Territories (centered on socioeconomic development). This tension intensified with debates over the “militarization” of the islands and responsibilities in the anti-drug campaign.
- Political instability: The political crisis within the French government, exemplified by the brief tenure and resignation of Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau in October 2025 due to disagreements over the cabinet composition of Sébastien Lecornu, has weakened the state’s coordinated response capacity.
Influence of international actors
United States:
U.S. pressure is the main catalyst for France’s change in stance. U.S. naval operations in the Caribbean and direct assaults on suspicious vessels have compelled France to align and adopt a more active role to prevent massive drug flows into its territories.
Russia (speculation): The 2024 National Security Annual Report of Spain warns that “Hostile Intelligence Services” (HIS), presumably Russian, would use organized crime structures to carry out large-scale illegal activities in Europe.
This collaboration could involve sabotage, sanctions evasion, and destabilization framed within a hybrid warfare or coercive diplomacy strategy in response to European support for Ukraine.
Intelligence sources consider it extremely likely that the Russian intelligence service (SVR) supports the actions of the Cartel of the Suns, adding a dangerous geopolitical dimension to the conflict.