An S-100 UAV during the seizure of nearly 10 tons of cocaine off West Africa
Defence Web
By Pearl Matibe
In a demonstration of international maritime cooperation, the French Navy, with support from US Africa Command (Africom), intercepted an unflagged fishing vessel and seized 9.6 tonnes of cocaine off the coast of West Africa in September.
The seizure—confirmed by both French authorities and Africom Public Affairs—marks one of the largest cocaine busts in the Gulf of Guinea in recent years, an area increasingly targeted by transnational criminal networks.
In a statement issued on 2 October, Africom said its support to the French Navy “led to the seizure of almost 10 tons of cocaine” in the Gulf of Guinea. The command added that it “plays a critical role in the interdiction of illegal drugs in Africa, which is a key transit point in the global trafficking of drugs and other illicit goods.”
“This effort denies revenue to drug cartels, to include those recently designated as Foreign Terrorist Organisations, who are responsible for drug smuggling into the United States,” Africom Public Affairs said from Stuttgart, Germany.
The operation underscores growing US and allied commitment to protecting Africa’s maritime domain, where drug trafficking and organised crime are increasingly undermining regional stability.
According to a 25 September statement from French authorities, the seizure was carried out “under the direction of the Maritime Prefect of the Atlantic and the Public Prosecutor of the Brest Judicial Court,” based on intelligence collected by the National Directorate of Intelligence and Customs Investigations (DNRED).
“The inspection teams of the vessels deployed as part of Operation Corymbe intervened on 22 September on the high seas in the Atlantic maritime zone, on an unflagged fishing vessel,” the Atlantic Maritime prefecture (Préfecture maritime et commandement en chef Atlantique) said.
The boarding—conducted under Article 110 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Montego Bay)—resulted in the discovery of 9.6 tonnes of cocaine, valued at €519 million ($565 million). A Camcopter S-100, a remotely piloted air system used for maritime surveillance, provided overwatch and visual tracking during the operation.
“This remarkable seizure illustrates the effectiveness of French government action at sea and the strength of international cooperation against organized crime,” French authorities said.
Operation Corymbe has ensured a near-continuous French naval presence in the Gulf of Guinea since 1990, focusing on maritime security, counter-piracy, and counter-narcotics. It supports the Yaoundé maritime security architecture, a framework designed to bolster African-led regional cooperation.
French Navy officials said the latest success “demonstrates the operational readiness and rapid reaction capability” of Corymbe-deployed vessels, which regularly conduct joint training and patrols with African navies to promote regional ownership of maritime security.
The 22 September seizure highlights how West Africa’s coastline has become a key transit corridor between South America and Europe. Smuggling routes—by sea and air—are increasingly tied to organised crime, corruption, and insurgent financing, posing complex threats to governance and security.
As previously reported by defenceWeb, a senior US defence official revealed that Mexican drug cartels have expanded into Africa, with the Gulf Cartel now active on the continent.
“We think we’re up to our fourth known cartel—the Gulf Cartel is here now,” the official told defenceWeb in June 2025. “We’ve seen an increase in drug seizures, particularly in West Africa, along the coastal cone stretching from South Africa northward.”
The same official noted that US-donated naval assets recently helped Mozambique intercept 8 000 pounds (3 600 kg) of cocaine, highlighting growing cooperation among African maritime partners in combating illicit trafficking.
The West African cocaine bust underscores that maritime security is not an abstract policy debate—it is a live operational fight. The scale of the seizure and the sophistication of the networks involved reveal how transnational organised crime threatens national and regional stability across African coastal states, while also touching European and US interests.
As Africom and its allies continue to expand intelligence sharing, surveillance, and capacity-building, officials stress that no single country can confront the threat alone.
The 9.6-tonne seizure—made possible through multinational coordination—proves that collective maritime action can yield results but also underscores how vast and persistent the challenge remains.
The 9.6-tonne cocaine bust is not just a tactical win—it’s a stark reminder that Africa’s maritime domain remains under siege from organised crime. The success underscores what’s possible through cooperation, but also how high the stakes now stand for regional and global security.