Sierra Leone has been linked to what Spanish authorities describe as a record-breaking cocaine seizure in the Atlantic Ocean, after a cargo vessel carrying up to 40 tonnes of the drug was intercepted en route to Europe.

According to a report by Sky News, officers from Spain’s Guardia Civil discovered between 35,000 and 40,000 kilograms of cocaine aboard a cargo ship off the coast of Western Sahara.

The vessel, registered in the Comoros Islands and approximately 90 metres long, had departed from Freetown on April 22 before heading toward the Mediterranean.

The interception was carried out by the Guardia Civil’s elite Central Operational Unit near Dakhla. The ship was then escorted to Las Palmas, where it is now under the jurisdiction of a Spanish court as investigations continue.

Related News

Authorities confirmed that 23 crew members were arrested during the operation. Those detained are reported to be mostly nationals of the Philippines, Angola, and the Netherlands.

Images showing the scale of the seizure were released by the Guardia Civil’s main union, AUGC, highlighting what officials described as an unprecedented haul.

Spanish officials, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the ongoing investigation, said the operation forms part of a broader crackdown on international drug trafficking coordinated by Spain’s High Court.

While no direct involvement of Sierra Leonean nationals has been reported, the vessel’s departure from Freetown has raised concerns about the country’s vulnerability as a transit point for global narcotics networks. The development underscores growing scrutiny over West Africa’s role in international drug trafficking routes.