France ramps up anti‑drug crackdown with drones in Var and national measures

In the French department of Var, officials reported a 2.4% decline in drug‑related offences in early 2026 and a sharp reduction in active street‑level dealing points, with only 13 of the historic 35 remaining. Police have deployed drones in ten operations, trained 28 investigators, launched 37 inquiries, made 43 arrests and seized more than 21 kg of cannabis and €44,260 in cash. Additional actions include expulsions of traffickers from social housing, closure of implicated businesses and heightened road tests for drug‑impaired driving.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced a package of around fifty measures to combat drug trafficking nationwide. The plan introduces mandatory drug testing for civil servants, raises fines for drug use from €200 to €500, imposes tougher penalties such as licence suspensions for repeat offenders, and extends legal obligations to private companies for employee testing. A public‑awareness campaign featuring graphic posters and a new website will launch in late June, and the penal code will be amended to hold public officials criminally liable for shielding traffickers.