Algeria: Attempt to smuggle 20 quintals of drugs foiled

A total of 20 quintals of drugs were seized on Friday by Algerian border guards at Hassi Khbi in Bechar province (south of Algiers), according to communication cell at the National Gendarmerie Command.The smugglers who were supposed to smuggle the drugs from Morocco Algeria on cars and motorcycles run away to Morocco, said the same source.

Border guards intensified patrols after 20 quintals of drugs had been seized in the beginning of March.

The smugglers were ambushed at 9 p.m. when 3 Toyota Stations and two motorcycles passed by. Border guards opened fire on the drivers who did not want to stop. They left their cars and run away on one car only to Morocco.

Some 20 quintals of drugs and 4,520 boxes of Légende foreign cigarettes were found confirming coordination between drug and foreign cigarettes smuggling networks on borders.

On March 2nd, 920 quintals of drugs were seized hidden in bags in bush in Bechar making the total amount of drugs seized since the beginning of the current year reach 4.3 tons.

Statistics provided by the National Gendarmerie Command show that the biggest quantity of drugs has been recently seized in Bechar province which is located on south-western borders with Morocco.

 Investigators believe that smuggling networks on Algerian Moroccan borders moved to the south due to stringent surveillance measures on west borders.

In 2007, fields of opium cultivation were discovered in 2007 in Adrar province (south of Algiers). This discovery comes within the strategy of smuggling networks to move to areas they believe to be “safe.”

 Investigators are working on the identification of the smugglers and keeping watch on borders to foil up any attempt to bring those poisons to Algeria which remains a transit region.