Key Points
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Cocaine trafficking in the Sahel declined after the 2023 Niger coup.
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Armed conflict and instability have forced traffickers to reroute.
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Traffickers now rely more on coastal and maritime smuggling routes.
Cocaine trafficking in the Sahel has experienced a sharp disruption following the military coup in Niger in July 2023.
The coup ended long-standing relationships between traffickers and state-affiliated protectors, especially in northern Niger. These protection systems previously enabled traffickers to operate with near impunity.
Before the coup, cocaine and cannabis resin regularly flowed through Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali on their way to European markets.
However, post-coup instability made traffickers wary. Many influential figures with close ties to Niger’s former regime scaled down operations or disappeared from the trade altogether.
Traffickers no longer trust the new authorities. As a result, cocaine trafficking in the Sahel, particularly through Niger, has sharply declined. Instead, traffickers have shifted focus toward alternative smuggling channels.
Armed violence reshapes drug logistics in northern Mali
While Niger’s coup dealt a blow to cocaine routes, violence in northern Mali also contributed to the disruption.
The breakdown of control in areas like the Kidal region made routes unsafe. Rebel groups and armed extremists clashed with Malian forces and the Wagner Group, leading to an environment too volatile for consistent trafficking.
Major logistics hubs like Tabankort lost relevance. Drug shipments moved to other locations such as In-Afarak, where separatist groups maintain control.
But even these newer hubs face risk. Bandit groups in Mali and Niger have increasingly targeted drug convoys, further complicating northbound movements.
Consequently, traffickers are steering away from traditional Sahel routes and exploring safer options elsewhere.
Coastal smuggling replaces unreliable overland corridors
With cocaine trafficking in the Sahel now unpredictable, drug networks are reorienting. Smugglers are increasingly favoring coastal West African countries, such as Guinea and Sierra Leone, for sea-bound shipments.
From there, consignments often pass through ports like Dakar in Senegal, which offer high cargo throughput and better concealment opportunities.
Although longer, these maritime and coastal paths offer a lower risk of seizures or attacks compared to overland routes through conflict zones.
Meanwhile, Bamako remains a key base of operations for traffickers, serving as a logistics and storage hub before redistribution.
While some routes still pass through Mali, much of the trafficking has clearly moved away from areas affected by political and security turmoil.
