The French navy has intercepted 9.6 tonnes of cocaine from an unflagged fishing vessel in the Gulf of Guinea, authorities said, calling it one of the largest drug hauls in the region this year.
Two French warships deployed under Operation Corymbe — France’s long-running maritime security mission in West Africa — moved in on Monday after a tip-off from maritime intelligence units, France’s anti-narcotics agency and the UK’s National Crime Agency. The stash, with an estimated street value of about $610 million (£540 million), was seized without incident.
France’s Atlantic Maritime Prefecture hailed the “seamless cooperation” among national and international partners that led to the operation. The French navy said 54 tonnes of illicit drugs have been intercepted in the wider area since the start of the year.
The Gulf of Guinea has emerged as a key transshipment route for South American cocaine headed to Europe and has seen a flurry of interdictions in recent months. The waters were once the world’s most dangerous for piracy, prompting regular patrols by regional navies and partner countries.
In March last year, the French navy made a record regional seizure of 10.7 tonnes of cocaine off West Africa.