Senegal seizes record 2 tonnes of cocaine off Atlantic coast

Reuters
·1 min read

DAKAR (Reuters) - Senegal seized more than two tonnes of pure cocaine from a ship off its Atlantic coast, the navy said on Tuesday, in the West African country's largest ever cocaine bust.

The 2,026 kg of cocaine was found on a ship 363 km (226 miles) off the coast by naval forces backed by air support from the French air force, the navy said in a statement.

The ship had five crew members aboard, it added.

Drug smugglers typically use West Africa as a transshipment point for cocaine en route from South America to Europe

In January, authorities in neighbouring Gambia seized nearly three tonnes of cocaine from a shipment of industrial salt originating in Ecuador.

Morocco police on Monday seized one tonne and 335 kilograms of cocaine concealed in a container ship in Tangier Med Port.

(Reporting by Diadie Ba; Writing by Aaron Ross; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)