Major drug seizure at Bissau airport as authorities intercept jet loaded with Cocaine

The aircraft, which landed without proper authorization, was immediately impounded by the Judicial Police (PJ) as part of an ongoing crackdown on drug trafficking in the region.

Inspector Correia Quitole, representing the National Director of the Judicial Police, Domingos Correia, confirmed the arrest of five individuals on board the aircraft.

Those detained include nationals from Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Mexico.

The operation was launched following intelligence received from international partners involved in the global fight against narcotics trafficking.

According to Inspector Quitole, the aircraft was initially en route to Bissau but considered diverting to Bamako at the last moment.

PJ agents, already positioned at Osvaldo Vieira Airport, acted swiftly to secure the aircraft upon its landing.

During a subsequent search, authorities discovered a large quantity of cocaine on board.

The jet, identified as XA-SBT, remains under the tight watch of the Judicial Police on the airport’s central tarmac.

Further details regarding the origin of the jet and the full scope of the operation will be disclosed in due course, Inspector Quitole stated.

Guinea-Bissau, a small West African nation, has long been a strategic transit point for drug traffickers, particularly for cocaine shipments originating from Latin America bound for Europe.

The country’s geographic location, coupled with its difficult-to-monitor coastline and a fragile state apparatus, has made it an attractive hub for drug cartels over the years.

The drug trafficking issue in Guinea-Bissau has been escalating since the early 2000s.

A notable incident occurred in 2008, when authorities seized 500 kilograms of cocaine at the same Bissau airport.

At the time, two Venezuelans and two Bissau-Guineans, including an airport controller, were arrested.

The two Latin American nationals were later released after paying multimillion-dollar bail.

This latest seizure highlights the ongoing challenges faced by Guinea-Bissau in curbing the influence of international drug cartels exploiting the region’s vulnerabilities.

The government, supported by international law enforcement partnerships, continues its efforts to disrupt the networks facilitating the illicit drug trade through West Africa.