and screened. 283 people who did not have valid documents to explain their presence in French Guiana were sent back to Suriname while 19 were arrested due to ongoing investigations. French officers also intercepted and seized 3 kilograms of hash. The operation which was launched at the end of 2024 along the Marowijne River is aimed at tackling smuggling and illegal migration. Last week French officials mobilized 161 police officers and customs officers to carry out this operation. Not everybody approves of Operation ATIPA as certain lines are allegedly crossed. Meanwhile the first official complaint was filed by a 25-year-old Brazilian man who claims that he was the victim of physical violence. French police officers also deprived him of the right to have an interpretor present. This is the first legal action against the operation and it puts the manner in which border control is carried out in the spotlight.