Major Cocaine Bust in Guinea-Bissau Highlights West Africa as Drug Trafficking Hub

Guinea-Bissau's judicial police seized 2.6 tons of cocaine from a Venezuelan plane, arresting five crew members. The country is a key transit point for drugs destined for Europe. The operation was in collaboration with the US DEA and European agencies, highlighting escalating drug trafficking in West Africa.

In a significant anti-narcotics operation, police in Guinea-Bissau have seized 2.6 tons of cocaine from a plane arriving from Venezuela. The large confiscation took place over the weekend, judiciary police confirmed on Monday.

The bust involved 78 bales of drugs smuggled into the West African country on a Gulfstream IV aircraft, which was intercepted at Osvaldo Vieira International Airport on Saturday. Authorities apprehended five crew members, including the pilot, hailing from Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, and Brazil.

West Africa has increasingly become a crucial conduit for cocaine trafficking, according to a United Nations report. These regions serve as transit hubs for drugs from Latin America and Southwest Asia destined for European markets. Earlier interventions within the region, including a record-breaking haul in Senegal, underscore the escalating trend.

(With inputs from agencies.)