Authorities in Guinea-Bissau say they have seized 2.63 tons of cocaine found on a plane at the capital’s international airport.
The plane came from Venezuela, Reuters news agency reported based on a police statement.
At least 78 bales of cocaine were discovered on Saturday, in what local sources say is the largest drug bust in the country’s history.
The West African country is known as a major transit point for the global drug trade, leading the UN to label it a “narco-state.”
According to a local newspaper, the plane was registered in Mexico.
All five crew members were arrested, including the pilot. The prisoners include two Mexicans, a Colombian, an Ecuadorian and a Brazilian.
The suspects were due to appear in court on Monday.
According to authorities, the seizure, dubbed “Operation Landing,” was carried out in close cooperation with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Maritime Analysis and Operations Center–Narcotics, a European organization.
According to a local report, police are in the process of dismantling the entire network involved in this drug smuggling incident.
For years, authorities in Bissau have been trying to address the country’s use as a transit country for drugs bound for Europe.
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