The mayor of Niger, located in Western Africa, has been caught red-handed transporting over 200 kg of cocaine.
The mayor and his driver, who were both in the vehicle at the time, were arrested after the discovery of the 199 bricks, thought to be worth some $8.7 million.
The pair were stopped at a checkpoint in the north of the African country, on a road heading out of the desert trading hub of Agadez on Sunday, police sources said.
A statement from Niger’s Central Office for the Repression of Illicit Drug Trafficking (OCRTIS) confirmed that there had been a record seizure in the area, but did not offer further details, Reuters news agency reported.
West Africa is thought to be a transit route for illegal drugs coming from South America to Europe and has registered a series of record busts in recent years.
According to Reuters, Senegal seized more than two tonnes of pure cocaine from a ship off its Atlantic coast in October, and Gambian authorities seized nearly 3 tonnes last January from a shipment originating in Ecuador.
(With inputs from agencies)
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