The 2 026 kg of cocaine was discovered on a ship during an operation by with French air force, the statement said.

The ship which was found 363km off Senegal's coast had five crew members aboard, it added.

West Africa has become a transit point for shipment of drugs between South America and Europe.

In January, authorities in neighbouring Gambia seized nearly three tonnes of cocaine from a shipment of industrial salt originating in Ecuador.

A Twitter account sharing marine news from Senegal has tweeted pictures it says are from Sunday's operation.

--BBC--