Guinea-Bissau is a gateway for cocaine trafficking.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) warns that Guinea-Bissau continues to have “continuous potential” to be used in cocaine trafficking by various actors in the market, as disclosed today in “Global Cocaine Report 2023".
Recent developments, such as large shipments seized this year, point to the persistence of cocaine trafficking potential in the country.
Guinea-Bissau and trafficking
Recently, an operation resulted in the seizure of 800 kilograms of cocaine and the arrest of several men. A UN Security Council panel of experts linked that drug to a Malian national sanctioned for funding terrorism through drug trafficking.
In September 2019, the Judicial Police of Guinea-Bissau seized 1.869 kilograms of cocaine, the largest seizure in the country, and arrested 12 people, including nationals and foreigners. In October 2021, two tons of cocaine were seized in Senegal, authorities suspecting that the destination would be Guinea-Bissau.
UNODC cites reports indicating that the seizures in Bissau involve trafficking networks to which citizens from Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, Mali and Guinea Conakry belong. Colombian traffickers also circulate frequently between Guinea-Bissau, Senegal and Guinea Conakry.
The Judiciary Police of Guinea-Bissau gathered evidence that point to the emergence of a new network of local actors who have traveled to Latin America and are in direct negotiations with counterparts in that region.
Bijagós Archipelago are the entry point
The Bijagós archipelago, in Guinea-Bissau, seems to have a decisive role in trafficking as a “cocaine entry point”. Caravela Island was used as a staging point for 1,9 tons of cocaine in September 2021.
In recent years, The Gambia, Senegal and Portugal have ranked Guinea-Bissau among the top countries of origin for seized cocaine shipments. Cocaine from Guinea-Bissau arrives in Mali via Senegal or Guinea-Conakry, using the Senegalese town of Tambacounda.
The report also mentions that the role of the African continent, mainly West and Central Africa, as a transit zone for cocaine to the European market has increased substantially since 2019.
Geographic location
The geographic location of West and Central Africa is a natural stopover for cocaine from South America en route to Europe, especially for vessels leaving Brazil, explains the UNODC document.
The short distance between South America and the African coast is between the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Norte and the Casamance River, on the border between Senegal and Guinea-Bissau.
The UN agency points out that that route, which includes Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Gambia and Senegal, is one of the most used for trafficking, taking into account the seizures registered.
In the report, it is mentioned that Brazilian criminal groups seem to be increasingly turning to Portuguese-speaking countries such as Mozambique, Angola and Cape Verde for cocaine trafficking.
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