FRENCH NAVY SEIZES $610M WORTH OF COCAINE IN MASSIVE WEST AFRICAN OPERATION

The French navy has carried out one of its largest anti-drug operations in recent times, intercepting almost 10 tonnes of cocaine valued at $610 million off the coast of West Africa.

The dramatic bust took place on Monday when two French naval ships, deployed under Operation Corymbe, intercepted an unmarked fishing vessel suspected of trafficking narcotics. The operation was based on intelligence shared by maritime security agencies, French anti-drug authorities, and the UK’s National Crime Agency.

According to official reports, 9.6 tonnes of cocaine were recovered from the vessel. The French navy confirmed the seizure, noting that this year alone, more than 54 tonnes of drugs have been intercepted in the region, reflecting the scale of the problem.

French authorities hailed the operation as a success made possible by strong international collaboration. The Atlantic Maritime Prefecture described the seizure as “remarkable,” stressing the role of “seamless cooperation by national and international actors” in the fight against global drug trafficking.

The Gulf of Guinea, where the interception occurred, has become a hot spot for international narcotics trafficking. The route is a key transit corridor for cocaine shipments originating from South America and bound for European markets. In recent years, the region has witnessed repeated large-scale drug busts as Western naval forces intensify surveillance and enforcement.

For years, the Gulf of Guinea was notorious as the world’s most dangerous piracy zone, overtaking even the waters off Somalia. While international naval patrols have helped reduce piracy incidents, criminal networks have shifted attention to drug trafficking, creating a new layer of insecurity.

This latest seizure follows a record 10.7-tonne cocaine bust in March 2024, also led by the French navy, the biggest haul of its kind in West African waters.

With trafficking networks growing more sophisticated, France and its partners have pledged to step up maritime security operations in the region, vowing that West African waters will not become a safe haven for organized crime.