A routine drug raid in a Paris suburb turned up more than narcotics—French police stumbled upon an original Pablo Picasso painting estimated at between €12 million and €15 million.
Earlier this week, the French anti-drug squad searched a house in Champigny-sur-Marne, east of Paris. Officers were looking for drugs and illicit assets. Alongside cannabis resin, designer clothes and thousands of euros in cash, they found a canvas that closely matched a long-lost Picasso work.
Authenticated Masterpiece, Massive Valuation
Le Parisien broke the story, and the prosecutor's office later confirmed that the painting had been officially authenticated as a genuine Picasso. Authorities did not disclose the title, but sources suggest it is Portrait of Marie-Thérèse Walter, valued at €12–15 million (roughly $13–16 million).
Four Suspects in Court, Dual Probes Launched
The Créteil prosecutor's office opened investigations for theft and handling stolen goods. On June 19, four people linked to the case appeared before a court for immediate questioning. Officials have yet to reveal how the painting entered the drug den, including its last known owner and when it went missing.
Why Would a Multi-Million Euro Painting End Up in a Drug Den?
Stolen artworks occasionally resurface in criminal circles, but a drug-raid find is rare. High-value pieces are sometimes used as cross-border money-laundering tools or collateral for illicit loans—small in size, hard to trace, with flexible valuations. French authorities are still investigating whether the painting is tied to a larger art-trafficking network.