In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Embassy of the United States of America in Dakar praised the efforts of Guinea-Bissau for intercepting a Gulfstream IV aircraft carrying a large shipment of cocaine when it landed at the Osvaldo Vieira International Airport on 7 September.
As part of the fight against drug trafficking in West Africa, the Guinea-Bissau authorities recently carried out a major security operation by intercepting an aircraft carrying large quantities of cocaine.
This event, which was welcomed by the international community, is evidence of the government of Guinea-Bissau’s ongoing efforts to strengthen security and combat drug trafficking on its territory, the embassy said in a statement on Tuesday.
The U.S. Embassy in Dakar congratulated President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and the Guinea-Bissau authorities on this important achievement.
While stressing the importance of the partnership between the local authorities and the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Washington reaffirmed its support for Bissau in the fight against drug trafficking.
Guinea-Bissau is seeking to strengthen its capacity to fight organised crime as the country remains a drug trafficking hub in West Africa.
Last Saturday, the Bissau Judicial Police seized a private jet carrying 2,633.1 kg of cocaine-type drugs at Bissau’s Osvaldo Vieira International Airport.
Of the five suspects arrested in connection with the seized aircraft, two are Mexican, Colombian, Ecuadorian and Brazilian citizens.
After the initial interrogation of the suspects, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, which is in charge of the criminal proceedings, asked the Criminal Investigation Judge to order their preventive detention.
The public prosecutor also requested that the seized aircraft be forfeited to the Guinean state.
ARD/ac/lb/as/APA