French authorities warned Friday about "narco-tourism" on northern Channel beaches after news of more than two tonnes of cocaine washing ashore drew dozens of beachcombers, some equipped with quad bikes, reports Yahoo! News.
Locals in villages along the Normandy coast have described an influx of unfamiliar people in luxury cars and 4x4s who have been scouring the sand this week.
Local prosecutor Philippe Astruc issued a public warning on Friday about the risks of taking part in what he described as "narco-tourism".
"The act of taking possession of one of these bundles and transporting it is a crime that carries a punishment of up to 10 years in prison," he told reporters.
Furthermore, the cocaine posed a serious health risk because it was likely to be 80-90 percent pure, far stronger than anything usually sold by street dealers, he added.
"At the present time, we don't know the purity of this substance," he added, but if it was the usual strength of imported cocaine then it could be "fatal" if consumed.