The Gambia has seized three tonnes of cocaine from a ship coming from Ecuador.
In one of the largest busts in West Africa, authorities seized at least 118 bags of cocaine from a container heading from the port of Guayaquil in Ecuador and through Algeciras in Spain.
West Africa has long been a passage route for narcotics operators. With their networks and distribution affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the peddlers have found new methods to aid the transportation of the narcotics.
Ousman Saidybah, Spokesperson of the Gambian Law Enforcement Agency said the container is owned by a Gambian national who holds a French passport. The owner has since been on the run after being declared wanted by the country.
“This seizure is yet another confirmation that the Gambia, like other West African states, continues to be a storage and transit route for cocaine by international organised criminal groups, ” he said.
Although the destination of the cocaine is unknown, West Africa has been a key region in the business of narcotics in the past few years.
Cape Verde has in the past been one of the points where distribution is conducted.