A new international investigation has identified Libya as part of an emerging cocaine trafficking route connecting West Africa to Europe, highlighting the country’s growing importance as a transit and redistribution point for organized criminal networks operating across the Mediterranean.
The findings were published by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime following the seizure of more than 30 tons of cocaine aboard the cargo vessel Arkanian. The ship, registered in the Comoros Islands, was intercepted by Spain’s Civil Guard off the coast of Western Sahara in May 2026. According to investigators, the vessel’s declared destination was Benghazi in eastern Libya.
The report suggests that the cocaine shipment was loaded in Sierra Leone before beginning its journey northward. Investigators believe the drugs were intended to be transferred at sea to smaller vessels operating near the Canary Islands and potentially distributed across multiple European markets.
Researchers described the case as evidence of a previously undocumented trafficking corridor linking West Africa, Libya, and Europe. Maritime tracking data showed that the vessel had regularly traveled between ports in Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, and Sierra Leone before its interception.
Spanish authorities reportedly discovered six armed individuals hidden aboard the vessel during the operation. Several of them were said to have previous links to drug trafficking and money laundering investigations. A concealed compartment containing more than 30 tons of cocaine was later uncovered, making it one of the largest cocaine seizures recorded in Europe.
The investigation also pointed to possible connections with broader trafficking networks operating from West Africa. Authorities reportedly examined the activities of Dutch fugitive drug trafficker Jos Leijdekkers, who is believed to have been living in Sierra Leone since 2022.
According to the report, maritime records and witness accounts indicate that several vessels have traveled repeatedly between Freetown and ports in Libya and Morocco since 2024. Some ships allegedly changed names and registration flags before repeating similar routes, a practice often associated with organized smuggling operations.
