An investigation has been handed over to the Montpellier police after the discovery of a 40-year-old man from Montpellier during a flight to La Reunion. The man had ingested a large quantity of drugs, resulting in a fatal overdose. The investigation aims to shed light on an international drug trafficking network.
A man in his forties from Montpellier allegedly swallowed no less than 77 bags of cocaine before a flight. Some were improperly sealed, leading to the drugs dispersing in his digestive system. A father of three and gospel singer, he was reportedly a heavy user of these substances according to his acquaintances.
Following the man’s collapse in January 2025 on a plane bound for La Reunion due to an overdose, the incident forced the plane to make an emergency landing in Djibouti. An investigation was opened and handed over to the Montpellier police (Hérault), as reported by Midi Libre. Judicial information was opened for “drug trafficking, involuntary manslaughter, administration of harmful substances leading to death, money laundering and human trafficking.”
The investigation by the Montpellier police aims to uncover a larger network revealed by the trafficker’s downfall. According to his close associates, he had agreed to transport drugs to La Reunion and French Polynesia on several occasions to repay personal debts. Some of his friends allegedly joined him in the network.
These transactions are part of an international drug trafficking network involving several individuals suspected of being drug traffickers who left French territory after learning of the man’s collapse on the plane, where he was likely acting as a “mule” (a person carrying a large quantity of drugs on them).
This network reportedly stretches further, as another person from Montpellier was identified after being expelled from San Francisco (United States) on a stopover to Tahiti with 169 grams of cocaine and 59 grams of MDMA, also known as ecstasy.
The potential recruiter of these two drug couriers in question has also been identified and is from the Montpellier region. At 46 years old, he was indicted and remanded in custody at the end of March after the discovery of cocaine and cannabis during a search. The network to which these individuals belong allegedly threatened the families of the “mules” to repay the lost merchandise. According to 1ère Réunion – France Info, 58 “mules” were arrested in 2025 on the island.
