West Africa becomes major cocaine transit route for Europe

Cocaine shipments from Latin America to Europe are increasingly passing through West Africa, according to a report by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime via  France 24 on 12 March.

Multi-ton consignments often move through the region on the way to Europe. Cocaine prices in several West African cities have fallen sharply since 2019 while availability has increased. Drug seizures have reached record levels in recent years while consumption of cocaine powder and crack is increasing.

West Africa’s location between Latin American producing countries and European markets has made it an attractive transit point for traffickers. Local criminal actors often manage logistics for foreign networks and provide links to officials who protect the trade.

France24, Maghrebi.org