Freetown, 4th May 2026 — Spanish police have announced what they describe as a record-breaking cocaine seizure in the Atlantic, with the intercepted vessel traced back to Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown.
According to a report by Sky News, officers from Spain’s Guardia Civil discovered between 35,000 and 40,000 kilograms (35–40 tonnes) of cocaine on a cargo ship off the coast of Western Sahara. The vessel, registered in the Comoros Islands and measuring about 90 metres in length, had departed Freetown on 22 April before heading toward the Mediterranean.
The elite Central Operational Unit of the Guardia Civil intercepted the ship near Dakhla, Western Sahara, and escorted it to Las Palmas in Gran Canaria, where it is now under the jurisdiction of a Spanish court.
Authorities confirmed the arrest of 23 crew members, mostly nationals of the Philippines, Angola, and the Netherlands. Images of the massive haul were released by the Guardia Civil’s main union, AUGC, underscoring the scale of the operation.
Spanish officials, speaking anonymously due to the ongoing investigation, said the seizure forms part of a wider crackdown on international drug trafficking coordinated by Spain’s High Court.
The link to Freetown raises fresh concerns about Sierra Leone’s vulnerability as a transit hub for international narcotics. While no direct involvement of Sierra Leonean nationals has been reported, the departure point highlights the country’s exposure to global trafficking networks.
