The French navy has seized nearly 10 tonnes of cocaine, worth $610 million (£540 million), off the coast of West Africa, French authorities have announced.
Two French naval vessels, operating as part of Operation Corymbe, intercepted the massive cocaine haul from an unflagged fishing vessel on Monday, following a tip-off from maritime intelligence and anti-drug authorities, including the British National Crime Agency.
The Corymbe mission has been deployed by France in the Gulf of Guinea since 1990 to secure an area where piracy is prevalent. Authorities noted that 54 tonnes of drugs had been intercepted this year alone.
France's Atlantic Maritime Prefecture reported that seamless cooperation by national and international actors facilitated the seizure of 9.6 tonnes of cocaine.
The Gulf of Guinea, a vital corridor for drug trafficking, has witnessed multiple busts recently, particularly for cocaine being transported from South America to Europe. This region was once considered the most dangerous area for maritime piracy, surpassing Somalia, prompting Western nations to send naval support to combat piracy.
In a record operation last year, the French navy seized 10.7 tonnes of cocaine, marking a substantial blow to the illegal drug trade in the waters off West Africa.
