Authorities in Guinea-Bissau have seized 2.63 tonnes of cocaine from a plane at the capital’s international airport, marking the largest drug bust in the country’s history. The aircraft, which arrived from Venezuela, was found with at least 78 bales of cocaine on Saturday, according to a police statement cited by Reuters.
The West African nation, notorious as a key transit hub in global drug trafficking, has earned the UN label of a “narco-state” due to its deep involvement in illicit drug operations. Local reports revealed that the plane was registered in Mexico, and all five crew members—two Mexicans, one Colombian, one Ecuadorian, and one Brazilian—were arrested. They are set to appear in court on Monday.
The operation, dubbed “Operation Landing,” was carried out in collaboration with the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre–Narcotics, a European anti-drug organization. Authorities are now working to dismantle the entire network responsible for the smuggling.
For years, Guinea-Bissau has struggled to combat its role as a conduit for narcotics destined for Europe, a problem exacerbated by the country’s history of political instability. Since gaining independence from Portugal in 1974, Guinea-Bissau has experienced nine coups, weakening its state institutions and providing fertile ground for drug cartels.
In early 2024, the son of Guinea-Bissau’s former president was sentenced by a US court to more than six years in prison for leading an international heroin trafficking ring, further highlighting the country’s ongoing challenges with organized crime.
