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A BBC report, with some satellite help from Oceanmind based @ Oxford, England; which is also available to Sierra Leone and at the end there is an answer of sorts:
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A rare catch this article. Two "busts":
Link:https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-03-13/record-cocaine-busts-mark-west-africa-s-comeback-as-transit-hub

A rare, first-hand report on the situation by a freelance journalist; sub-titled:

She ends with:
Link:http://globalinitiative.net/guinea-bissau-illegal-drug-economy/

A detailed overview of Mauritania via online 'World Politics Review', so it maybe behind a registration wall - so an experiment to post here.

A taster:

Link:...

Bill,

It was the Argentine Navy that sank a Chinese trawler, in March 2016. I note other Chinese vessels were nearby in this report, with...

The maritime dimension of China's presence around Africa has not appeared here before IIRC, but this diplomatic act may change matters:Greenpeace in...

Hat tip to WoTR for this short overview of AQIM activity in West Africa, the catalyst being the attack on a beach resort, Grand Bassam, in the Ivory...

A broad overview:
Link:https://www.opendemocracy.net/arab-awakening/abdelkader-abderrahmane/sahel-north-west-africa-s-security-weakest-link

A rare article on this West African country, with a hopeful sub-title:
Link:http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2016/jan/07/guinea-bissau-global-drugs-trade

Well is this rhetoric or reality time will tell.


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The UK Chamber of Shipping, clearly an interest group, has published a report and in summary says:

Some figures cited:


On a very quick read there is no reference to seeking Royal Navy help,...

An update by Reuters on Guinea which starts with:

Link:http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/01/31/uk-guinea-drugs-idUKBREA0U0FY20140131

A bit more detail on the DEA's sting off Guinea:http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/07/24/us-guinea-bissau-sting-special-report-idUKBRE96N0AR20130724

Moderator at work

With the reported growth...

The website of the West African Commission on Drugs (WACD):

Link:http://www.wacommissionondrugs.org/

A commentary by RUSI, a general overview, with one new item (highlighted below) and ends on a rather pessimistic conclusion:

The new item, with my emphasis:
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A Reuters report on West African piracy, which lays much of the blame on Nigerian gangs, as illustrated by this passage:

The usual references to greater regional co-operation, with external (EU)...

Hope, good intentions, internal and external pressure on this 'narco-state' have resulted in:
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King Jaja,

Meth labs in Nigeria, even if for export, is a bad sign. I rely on the anecdotes given to me when out with US LE a few years ago in Montana. To my knowledge 'meth' is virtually unknown...

The first comprehensive account if the situation in Guinea-Bissau I've seen, by a group of blog reporters, partly based on the recently published US court...

It gets better! First a rear admiral, now the president is looking at being indicted in the USA.

Link:http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/08/us-bissau-traffickers-idUSBRE9370YD20130408

Another example of the USA's long reach, as the BBC reports:

Link:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-22030847

According to the IISS Military Balance Guinea-Bissau has a navy with two patrol...

Just an update:

Note the hub is Nigeria and the commodity sought oil products.

Link:http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/04/us-ivorycoast-pirates-tanker-idUSBRE9130A020130204

This article by Kofi Annan appeared in the Uk-based 'Observer' newspaper in January 2012, but a SWC reader suggested I have a look:http://kofiannanfoundation.org/newsroom/news/2012/01/drugswestafrica...

From NATO CIMIC's offering:

Link:https://www.cimicweb.org/Pages/v6/welcome.html and look for the Mediterranean Basin Review (OK stretching geography a wee bit to the Gulf of Guinea).

Slightly...

Picked up the other day, an IISS Strategic Comment mainly on piracy off Somalia, but has passages on the situation off the West African coast:
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