In a statement released on Wednesday by the Ministry of Defence, it said that attempts to smuggle 8.33 quintals of cannabis via the Moroccan border were thwarted, while 48 drug traffickers were arrested in operations carried out by combined detachments of the National People’s Army (ANP) during the period from 18 to 24 January.
In the dynamics of the continuous efforts of the fight against terrorism and against the multiform organized crime, units and detachments of the ANP carried out, during the period from 18 to 24 January 2023, several operations which led to quality results that reflect the high professionalism, vigilance and permanent availability of our Armed Forces throughout the national territory,” the statement said.
As part of the fight against terrorism, combined ANP detachments “arrested 11 elements supporting terrorist groups in separate operations across the national territory,” the same source added.
In addition and as part of the fight against organised crime and “in continuity of the efforts to thwart the scourge of drug trafficking in our country”, combined detachments of the ANP “have arrested, in coordination with the various security services during operations carried out across the military regions, 48 drug traffickers and thwarted attempts to introduce large quantities of drugs from the borders with Morocco amounting to 8 quintals and 33 kilograms of cannabis, while 350 grams of cocaine and 716. 914 psychotropic tablets were seized.
In Tamanrasset, Bordj Badji Mokhtar, In-Guezzam, Djanet and Tindouf, ANP detachments ” arrested 184 individuals and seized 20 vehicles, 150 generators, 78 pick hammers, 5 metal detectors, 10 tonnes of stone and raw gold mix, as well as quantities of explosives, detonation tools and equipment used in illegal gold panning operations, The same report said that “15 other individuals were arrested and 6 hunting rifles, huge quantities of foodstuffs intended for smuggling and speculation amounting to 166.35 tonnes, as well as 18.15 quintals of tobacco and 1,7377 units of various beverages were seized during separate operations throughout the country.
In addition, the border guards have thwarted, in coordination with the national gendarmerie, “attempts to smuggle large quantities of fuel amounting to 35,156 litres in Souk Ahras, El-Tarf, Tébessa, Tamanrasset and Djanet, while 235 illegal immigrants of different nationalities were arrested across the national territory,” the same source added.
