INTERVIEW-Dramatic fall in West African drug trafficking

* Number of seizures falls sharply

* Political change and international pressure help

* Maintaining political will vital

By Matthew Tostevin

DAKAR, June 26 (Reuters) - Drug trafficking through West Africa's fragile states has fallen dramatically because of political changes and growing international pressure, the U.N. body fighting drugs and crime said.

A surge in the smuggling of Colombian cocaine through West Africa to Europe in recent years destabilised countries such as Guinea-Bissau, where the president was killed in a flare-up in March and an election is due on Sunday.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime said smuggling had fallen since the middle of last year.

"We have witnessed a dramatic reduction of cocaine transiting West Africa," said Antonio Mazzitelli, regional head of the U.N. body.