Drug seizures in the West African Sahel region have seen a significant increase, as per a recent U.N. report. The report reveals that in 2022, a total of 1,466 kilograms (3,232 pounds) of cocaine were seized in Mali, Chad, Burkina Faso, and Niger. This marks a stark contrast to the average of 13 kilograms (28.7 pounds) seized between 2013 and 2020. The report highlights that cocaine is the second most seized drug in the Sahel after cannabis resin.
Senegal, a country bordering the Sahel, recently made headlines with a record-breaking cocaine seizure of 1,137 kilograms valued at $146 million. This seizure, near an artisanal mine in the east of the country, is the largest ever intercepted on land. Incidents like these are becoming more frequent in the region, with the Senegalese navy seizing a total of 3 tons of cocaine at sea in December last year.
