The French Navy has seized 9.6 metric tons of cocaine, valued at approximately €519 million ($609 million), from a fishing vessel in the Gulf of Guinea, authorities said Thursday.
Officials in France’s northwestern Atlantic maritime region said two naval ships intercepted the unregistered vessel, carrying the shipment, on Monday during Operation Corymbe, France’s long-running maritime mission in West Africa.
The operation followed intelligence provided by anti-drug and maritime intelligence authorities and British police.
Images released by the navy showed sailors unloading wrapped packages of cocaine with helicopter support. Authorities did not disclose details about the vessel’s crew.
Le 22.09, sous la direction du @premar_ceclant et du procureur de #Brest @justice_gouv, la @MarineNationale déployée en mission CORYMBE a procédé à la saisie de 9.6 tonnes de cocaïne au large de l’Afrique de l’ouest.
➡️ https://t.co/Q2Uwuvfq9F pic.twitter.com/fJwSn4kBkJ
— Préfecture maritime et commandement en chef ATLANT (@premar_ceclant) September 25, 2025
The Gulf of Guinea is a major transit route for cocaine traveling from South America to Europe. In August, authorities confiscated nearly six tons of narcotics in the same region.
So far in 2025, France has intercepted 54 tons of drugs at sea, already surpassing previous annual records, according to Admiral Nicolas Vaujour, Chief of Naval Staff.
