The French navy has seized nearly 10 tonnes of cocaine, worth $610 million (£540 million) off the coast of West Africa, French authorities have said.
Two French naval vessels operating as part of Operation Corymbe intercepted the enormous cocaine haul from an unflagged fishing vessel on Monday, acting on a tip-off from maritime intelligence, anti-drug authorities and the British National Crime Agency.
The Corymbe naval mission has been deployed by France in the Gulf of Guinea since 1990 to ensure security in an area where piracy is fairly common.
9.6 tonnes of cocaine has been intercepted by two French ships, the French navy announced.
It added that 54 tonnes of drugs had been intercepted in the area since the beginning of the year.
France's Atlantic Maritime Prefecture emphasized that seamless cooperation by national and international actors in the fight against narcotics has enabled the remarkable seizure of 9.6 tonnes of cocaine.
The Gulf of Guinea has witnessed multiple drug busts over recent months, reinforcing its status as a critical transit point for narcotics trafficking, particularly cocaine sourced from South America destined for Europe.
This region was previously deemed the world's most dangerous area for maritime piracy, surpassing Somali waters, prompting several Western nations to deploy ships to enhance maritime security.
A record cocaine seizure of 10.7 tonnes was registered by the French navy in March last year, marking the largest interception of illegal drugs off the West African coast.
