A European Union-funded anti-drug operation (Operation COCAIR III), carried out in 30 international airports in West and Central Africa and Brazil, has achieved impressive results and led to concrete seizures of substantial amounts of illicit drugs and capital, according to a new report out on Monday. The anti-drug operation was carried out by the World Customs Organisation (WCO), together with Interpol and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, between 28 November and 4 December 2011. It resulted in 45 seizures including 486 kg of cannabis, 24 kg of cocaine, 5 kg of heroin and interceptions of amphetamines and metamphetamines such as Ecstasy. Additionally, huge amounts of various counterfeit products, arms and ivory products were seized and cash capital amounting to nearly €3 million was confiscated. Apart from the immediate success visible in the various seizures, the operation also led to increased airport checks, helped to raise awareness about the fraud occasionally committed by airport control services, and reinforced the exchange of secure information between custom services and police -- particularly in cocaine trafficking. Drug trafficking is one of the major sources of revenue of worldwide organised crime and has a huge negative impact, both on health and national insecurity. Disrupting this trafficking requires coordinated international action to reduce both the demand and the supply of drugs. The EU has taken a leading role in combating the international trafficking of illicit drugs by financing actions to prevent money-laundering, support law enforcement and improve communication between airports and seaports. The operation, labelled COCAIR III - the third joint EU-WCO operation under the Cocaine Route programme - was set up to reinforce airport controls against the trafficking of illicit drugs, in particular of cocaine, at 30 international airports in West and Central Africa such as Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, Nigeria and Senegal. These airports are located along the "Cocaine Route" and are used by traffickers to transport the drug from Latin America to Europe, via West Africa. Sao Paolo Airport in Brazil was also part of the exercise. Under COCAIR III, particular attention was given to so-called "mules" -- passengers on Europe-bound flights, either on direct or transit flights, who smuggle drugs or other illicit goods in often very creative ways such as fixed to their bodies, swallowed or hidden in items of clothing. The large-scale cooperation in all COCAIR operations, but especially in COCAIR III, illustrates the importance of the strong involvement of the local authorities when it comes to combating this form of cross-border crime, which has the potential to upset the economic and financial balance of the whole region.