France Adopts Sweeping Counter-Narcotics Law Amid Cocaine Surge

French lawmakers have passed a sweeping counter-narcotics law to address a surge in drug crime driven by record levels of South American cocaine entering Europe. The law establishes a national prosecutor's office for organized crime, isolates dangerous drug kingpins in prisons, expands the use of cooperating witnesses, and allows authorities to seize assets unless owners can prove their legitimacy. It also enables the closure of businesses involved in money laundering. A controversial proposal to grant police automatic access to encrypted messaging services was ultimately removed from the legislation. The law, rooted in a 2024 Senate report warning of rising drug violence, has been prioritized by the French government amid growing attacks on prisons and concerns about organized crime's reach. Lawmakers highlighted the need for updated legislation as drug-related violence increasingly affects not just France but other European countries with major ports.