The authorities in the West African state of Gambia have seized cocaine which could have been sold for more than a billion dollars in Europe. Up to two and a half tons of cocaine were discovered in a warehouse near the capital Banjul. The arrests come as Latin American drug cartels continue to use West Africa as a transit route for trafficking cocaine into Europe. More from Mark Doyle.

In addition to the huge haul of drugs, the Gambian authorities have arrested a dozen suspected traffickers, seized large quantities of cash, some arms and numerous revealing computer records. Gambian anti-drug investigators made the first arrests then called in the British Serious Organised Crime Agency, the rough equivalent of the American FBI, to help in gathering forensic evidence. One thing led to another, and finally with British help the haul of highly concentrated cocaine was discovered behind a false wall in a basement.