The French navy has seized nearly 10 tonnes of cocaine, worth $610 million (£540 million), off the coast of West Africa, French authorities have confirmed.
Two French naval vessels, operating as part of Operation Corymbe, intercepted the massive cocaine shipment from an unflagged fishing vessel on Monday. This operation was prompted by intelligence from anti-drug authorities and the British National Crime Agency.
Since 1990, the Corymbe naval mission in the Gulf of Guinea has aimed to enhance security in a region plagued by piracy and other maritime crimes.
The French navy reported that 54 tonnes of drugs have been intercepted in the area since the beginning of the year.
According to the Atlantic Maritime Prefecture of France, this successful seizure is attributed to seamless cooperation by national and international actors in the fight against narcotics.
The Gulf of Guinea has become a significant transit point in global drug trafficking, particularly for cocaine sourced from South America and destined for Europe. Recent months have evidenced a series of drug busts in this region, emphasizing its role in the broader narcotics trade.
Historically, the Gulf of Guinea was deemed the most perilous region for maritime piracy, surpassing even the infamous waters off Somalia. In response, multiple Western nations have deployed ships to combat piracy and enhance maritime security.
Notably, the French navy recorded a record cocaine seizure of 10.7 tonnes in March last year, marking the largest drug interception off the West African coast to date.
