Police authorities in Cape Verde seized approximately 10 tonnes of cocaine and arrested 11 Russians on a vessel that was docked in Praia, the capital. Reuters states that it is the largest single drag haul that was ever conducted in the island country’s history.
The vessel transferring 9.5 tonnes of cocaine was voyaging to Morocco from South America and was docked at the port of Praia for legal reasons because of the death of a crew member.
The police authority published photos showing dozens of brick packages wrapped in plastic and cloth sacks at the port.
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In addition, the police stated that the were alerted by the Maritime Analysis and Operation Centre – a platform coordinating the anti-drug trafficking actions of seven E.U. states – who suspected the ship of transporting illicit substances.
Hard substances as cocaine, heroin and amphetamines are rapidly increasing in West Africa, where countries that in the past were only transit points for trade between South America and Europe, are now active consumers.
According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), although Africa has strict laws for drugs, the quantity of cocaine seized in 2016 double, making it the second-highest growth in cocaine seizures after Asia.
Concluding, global cocaine production reached 1,125 tonnes in 2015, reported the UNODC, of which a record of 864 tonnes were seized that year.
