Niger seizes record cocaine shipment bound for Libya

Authorities in Niger say they have seized 278kg of cocaine in the country’s largest drug bust to date.

The operation took place in the eastern city of Zinder and led to the arrest of eight suspects believed to be part of a cross-border trafficking network operating across the Sahel and West Africa.

Preliminary investigations indicate the shipment originated in Accra, Ghana, and passed through Togo, Benin and Nigeria before entering Niger. It was reportedly destined for Libya via trans-Saharan smuggling routes.

The seizure comes amid growing concerns over Libya’s role as a transit point in international drug trafficking.

Earlier this month, Spanish authorities intercepted another large cocaine shipment believed to be heading to the country.