Drug smugglers arrested by national gendarmerie

In a joint operation conducted with the elements of the national gendarmerie of the province of Biskra, south east of Algeria, the gendarmerie squad of Batna has seized a truck laden with more than 30 quintals of drug worth 180 million Algerian Dinars.

The seizure took place over this week when the vehicle was intercepted while heading for Libya coming from the Morocco.

The operation came following intelligence collected by the gendarmerie services of the province of Batna over suspicious movements carried out by a dangerous gang with the intent to smuggle a truck from Morocco carrying drug.

In the wake of this intelligence, a group of investigators was set up and entrusted with tightening the net around the smugglers to avert any attempt to pass their poisonous goods.

The elements of the gendarmerie have intercepted the truck on a road leading to the municipality of Barika. After a thorough control of the vehicle, the gendarmerie officers have discovered a hidden place designed to store huge quantities of drug.

After four days of intense interrogations, the driver has revealed to the investigators that the truck was designed to transport huge quantities of drug outside the country, adding that he was about to smuggle another quantity located in the province of Biskra towards Libya.

The investigations resulted in the arrest of 5 criminals who were summoned to appear before the public prosecutor of the province of Constantine, while three others are still at large