Photo: 123RF
The criminal court in French Polynesia has sent 25 people to prison for their roles in the territory's biggest methamphetamine smuggling and distribution case.
After a two-week trial, they were jailed for up to 13 years and fined $US20 million collectively.
The trafficking ring was led by two French Polynesian men Tamatoa Alfonsi and Maitai Danielson who in 2017 and 2018 were based in Mexico and the US.
They procured about 400 kilograms of the banned drug in Mexico and had it smuggled in surfboards and karaoke machines to Tahiti where it was sold at up to 1000 times the acquisition price.
Alfonsi and Danielson, who was an outrigger champion, were arrested in Mexico two years ago and returned to French Polynesia after being extradited to France.
Those now jailed include mules, distributors and money-collectors, some of whom were top rowers and surfers.
