The Senegalese navy has announced the seizure of three tons of pure cocaine off the coast of the capital city of Dakar — one of the largest seizures in the country’s history.
“On the night of November 26-27, a Senegalese navy patrol boat intercepted a boat carrying three tons of cocaine 150 kilometers south of Dakar, the navy said in a communique on X, former Twitter.
The boat arrived in Dakar under convoy on Tuesday Nov. 28, the navy said.
The navy however did not provide details on the port of departure or where it was bound to, nor details of its crew and owner.
The West African country in recent years has emerged as a transit zone for drug trafficking. Authorities had seized tons of drug including cocaine in previous operations. January this year, the navy seized 805 kg of cocaine during an operation off the coast of the country.
In October last year, customs had announced the seizure of 300 kg of cocaine, worth nearly 37 million euros, in a refrigerated truck from neighboring Mali.
In June 2019, the customs also seized 1,027kg of cocaine, in multiple operations; 798 kg of the seized substance were found in 15 brand new cars put in a consignment from Brazil.
Authorities in 2007 made their biggest ever confiscation, after they seized 2.4 tons of cocaine in Mbour, in Thiès region.