Tahitians march against methamphetamins abuse on 7 September 2025. Photo: Supplied / Radio 1
More than 6500 protesters across French Polynesia took to the streets over the weekend to oppose the growing influence of methamphetamines, which is already causing significant damage and is believed to have made some 30,000 addicts, including children.
Protesters in those "white marches" were mostly seen in the streets of the capital Papeete, on the seafront, in an unprecedented mobilisation, brandishing banners saying "No to ICE".
In French Polynesia, methamphetamines crystals are known as "ice".
Other protests took place outside the main island of Tahiti, such as Moorea, Nuku Hiva, Hao, Hiva Oa, Raiatea, Bora Bora, Huahine or even the Marquesas Islands.
The marches involved members of the public, families, churches as well as local celebrities and prominent politicians.
They came in response to a call from local Citizen Polynesian Federation to Fight Against Drugs and Addiction.
Families, as well as other local associations and NGOs, also took part in the "white marches".
Conservative statistics estimate the local consumption of ice crystals to some 30,000 people, which is about 9 percent of the total population (280,000).
Coordinator Kathy Gaudot told local media the main objective of the protests was to make the population aware of the magnitude of the situation, which has been worsening for the past twenty years.
"Now that the response from the public has been so big, our call can't be ignored any longer", Gaudot told local media.
Since the beginning of 2025, some 265kg of ice have been seized by authorities, mainly as part of maritime surveillance operations in French Polynesia's waters.
Most of the intercepted narcotics are however destined to target markets such as Australia and marginally New Zealand.
In one of the most recent occurrences, a yacht from Mexico was seized in Nuku Hiva and some 1,878 Kg of drugs, both cocaine and methamphetamines crystals for an estimated street value of over 320 million Euros, were found onboard by French authorities.
A semi-submersible vessel found in French Polynesia on the Makemo Atoll . Photo: Supplied / French Polynesia Public Prosecutor’s office
In recent weeks, "semi-submersible" vessels have also been sighted, like in other Pacific islands, indicating the introduction of new sophisticated methods to transport drugs as part of a transnational drug trafficking ring.
The substance is being produced in Central and South America.
Narco-traffickers are using not only French Polynesia, but also other Pacific Islands as transit points to evade authorities.
French High Commissioner Eric Spitz, who has recently left the archipelago after three years at the post, told local media in August ice was a "poison" that gangrened French Polynesia.
He said increased cooperation and intelligence sharing between French, Australia and US authorities had significantly increased over the past three years.
"For the past three years, we have been working in trust with the Australians and the Americans. They share information with us. I have to emphasize we are in a transit zone, but there is ice circulating here", he said.
He said recently, sniffer dog units have been increased, with two new Navy patrol boats and three new Falcon Jets to monitor French Polynesia's huge Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) which is equivalent to the size of Europe.
His successor, Alexandre Rochatte, who arrived in French Polynesia last week, also confirmed the fight against narcotic-traffic and abuse remained one of his top priorities.
In French Polynesia, the local government is also calling from increased assistance from France, especially in terms of finance.
French Polynesia's President Moetai Brotherson said the fight against ice is now regarded as a "national cause".
Last week, a new "psychiatric emergency" unit at the general hospital in Tahiti was launched, with psychiatry and addictology specialists now dedicated to treating "vulnerable" and "agitated" patients.
In August, Brotherson even suggested that an isolated and unpopulated atoll, Anuanuraro (Tuamotu Islands group), should be dedicated and become a drug addicts treatment and rehabilitation centre.
