Trial of 12 Defendants Accused of Smuggling Gold and Cash Set for August 18

The Criminal Court of Dar El Beïda on Sunday postponed until August 18 the trial of 12 defendants in the case involving the alleged smuggling of gold bars and cash abroad through Houari Boumediene International Airport in Algiers.

The postponement was granted at the request of the defense, which sought additional time to review the case file. After the detained and non-detained defendants entered the courtroom, the presiding judge called the defendants, witnesses, and civil parties to the case before inviting defense lawyers to present their motions. The court subsequently agreed to adjourn the proceedings until the scheduled date.

The defendants—10 in custody and two released pending trial—are facing a series of serious charges, including smuggling, the illegal importation of gold jewelry, money laundering through the abuse of professional activities within the framework of an organized criminal group, violations of Algeria’s foreign exchange and cross-border capital movement regulations, failure to issue invoices, and influence peddling. The charges are brought under several provisions of Algerian legislation, including the Indirect Taxes Code, the Penal Code, the Commercial Practices Law, the law governing foreign exchange and capital transfers, the Anti-Smuggling Law, and the Anti-Corruption Law.

According to a previous report published by Echorouk on August 1, 2026, the investigation began when border police officers were processing passengers on Turkish Airlines Flight TK0654 bound for Istanbul International Airport. At the final boarding checkpoint—Gate 7 in the western international terminal (T4), which provides direct access to the aircraft via Tunnel 16—officers caught passenger B. Reda attempting to smuggle a substantial quantity of gold and undeclared foreign currency out of the country.

The gold bars and cash were reportedly concealed inside the suspect’s shoes, underwear, and the inner pockets of an elastic fabric belt fastened around his waist.

During the inventory process, authorities seized 14 gold bars bearing no official hallmark or identifying stamp. The bars, of varying sizes, had a combined weight of 9.59 kilograms (9,590 grams). Officers also confiscated undeclared foreign currency totaling more than €10,000, along with 3,065 Turkish lira, £200 sterling, 400 Egyptian pounds, 200 Saudi riyals, and 700 UAE dirhams.