LUNA-S Cannabis Bust More Epic Than Thought

Luna-S on fire. Image (c) Marine Nationale

France’s Ministry of Defence is eager to confirm that the LUNA-S drug bust and smoke-out in the Mediterranean was a little more epic than previously thought.

A thorough inspection of the vessel at the French port of Toulon has revealed that the ship was attempting to smuggle a whopping 20 tons of cannabis, about half of which was burned in Sunday’s session.

As gCaptain reported, the French Navy, working on tip from customs, intercepted the Tanzanian-flagged cargo ship LUNA-S in international waters in the western Mediterranean Sea. But as the Navy approached, crewmembers set the illicit cargo on fire, creating a large plume of the intoxicating smoke that consumed the superstructure and poured into the air.

The fire and smoke kept authorities at bay, leaving the question of just how much marijuana was on board unanswered until the vessel could be towed back to port for inspection.

The update from the MoD said that the eight “healthy” crewmembers of the LUNA-S have since been handed over to police in Marseille.

According to wikipedia, it takes 1 ounce of marijuana to cause a person to hallucinate. How many ounces are in 10 tons?

Updated: September 18, 2013 (Originally published September 13, 2013)

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