West Africa becomes major cocaine hub for Europe

West Africa has emerged as a key transit hub for cocaine destined for Europe, driven by increased production in South America, stricter European policing of direct imports, and weak port controls in the region. Seizures have surged 50% annually from 2019 to 2025, with average hauls doubling to 5.6 tonnes. Traffickers now bulk-ship cocaine to West Africa, repackage it, and use fast boats to bypass European ports. Corruption facilitates the trade, with figures like Dutch trafficker Jos Leijdekkers living openly in Sierra Leone.