A suspected drug‑smuggling vessel intercepted by French Polynesian authorities has been allowed to sail away unopposed, after officials said overcrowded prisons made it impossible to detain or prosecute the crew. The MV Raider and its crew were released despite the serious allegations, leaving major questions over who if anyone will take responsibility for pursuing charges.
French Polynesia’s Vice‑President Eliane Tevahitua Brotherson said the territory simply could not hold more detainees. “We have a few crews already from ships that were transporting drugs that are now crowding our prisons, so it’s not our vocation to accommodate all these drug smugglers,” he said. He added that the crew would “probably” face a courtroom eventually, but that responsibility lies with either the vessel’s country of origin or its intended destination.
The Raider is now docked at Avatiu Port in the Cook Islands, having entered Rarotonga waters under a distress call for engine repairs. Cook Islands Customs confirmed that border agencies searched the ship upon arrival on January 24 and found nothing suspicious. The captain and crew were questioned before being cleared.
Brotherson noted that the interception occurred outside French Polynesia’s exclusive economic zone, making it an international matter rather than a local one. “It’s not a question of responsibility it’s a question of prosecution and who wants to prosecute those people,” he said. He added that information about the vessel has been shared with police and customs agencies across the Pacific as part of ongoing regional cooperation.
For now, the fate of the Raider’s crew remains uncertain and the case highlights the growing strain Pacific nations face as transnational drug trafficking intensifies across their waters.
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