20,000 people sentenced for drug-related cases in 6 months

More than 23,000 people were involved in drug trafficking in January-June. A total of 30 tons of cannabis were seized. Some 81 percent of them came from Morocco, according to the National Office of Countering Drug and Addiction.

The Office released a report based on figures given by the National Gendarmerie, the police and customs. It says “30,168.814 of cannabis were seized during the first semester of 2017. Of them, 81.13 percent were seized in the west of Algeria.”

The same source said seized cannabis quantities decreased compared to the same period in 2016 thanks to stepped up security measures on borders.

A total of 16.35 percent of cannabis were seized in the south of Algeria, 1.49 percent in the east and 1.03 percent in the centre, according to the report.

It added that seized heroin quantities also went down to 589.55g in 2017 from 1,333.04g in 2016.    

Seized cocaine quantities also decreased by 93.49 percent to 3.312.68g in 2017 from 50.851.86g in 2016.

According to the same source, investigations showed that 20,067 people including 99 foreigners were involved in drug-related cases. A total of 347 people are still on the run.

The Office also said 4,203 people of the involved suspects are traffickers and 11,018 are drug consumers.

It was also reported that 72 people are cocaine traffickers and 19 are consumers. A total of 31 people are heroin traffickers and 22 are consumers.