The French Navy has intercepted almost 9.6 tonnes of cocaine aboard a stateless fishing vessel off the coast of West Africa, in what authorities are calling one of the largest drug busts of the year. The seizure, carried out on Monday in the Gulf of Guinea, highlights the growing role of the region as a key transit point for narcotics moving from South America to Europe.
The operation was conducted as part of France’s long-running naval mission Operation Corymbe, which aims to strengthen maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea. Two French warships were deployed to intercept the vessel after intelligence was shared through international channels, including France’s Anti-Narcotics Office (OFAST), the UK’s National Crime Agency, and the Lisbon-based Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre (Narcotics), known as MAOC-N.
Officials estimate the cocaine’s street value at more than €500 million, or roughly $600 million. French authorities confirmed that the crew of the vessel, whose nationalities have not yet been disclosed, will be transferred to France for prosecution. The boat, which carried no flag, is now under French jurisdiction, though experts note that the stateless status complicates legal proceedings.
The seizure adds to what has already become a record year for French naval forces. Prior to this operation, French authorities had confiscated more than 6 tonnes of cocaine in the Gulf of Guinea in 2025, bringing the total volume seized this year to over 45 tonnes. Admiral Nicolas Vaujour, head of the French Navy, said the scale of recent interceptions both reflects the scale of the trafficking problem and demonstrates the determination of France and its partners to disrupt the networks involved.
The Gulf of Guinea has become a growing hub for cocaine smuggling to Europe, with traffickers exploiting weak maritime governance and porous borders along West Africa’s coast. Security experts warn that drug money in the region often fuels other illicit activities such as piracy, human trafficking, and the financing of armed groups. While seizures of this scale represent a major blow to criminal networks, they also underline the ability of traffickers to move vast quantities of drugs across the Atlantic despite naval patrols.
In a statement, France’s Maritime Prefect of the Atlantic praised the “seamless cooperation between national and international actors” that made the operation possible. The seized narcotics will be destroyed under judicial supervision, and the case is expected to move quickly into the French legal system.
For now, the French Navy says it will continue its patrols as part of Operation Corymbe, while regional and international partners are expected to push for greater maritime coordination. The record haul is being hailed as a major victory, but authorities admit it is only one battle in a much larger fight against the transatlantic cocaine trade.
English