Three detained as buried liamba seized in Catumbela yard
Angola's Criminal Investigation Service detained three people in Bairro Vimbalambi, Catumbela, after finding liamba buried in a residence's yard on 12 February 2026. The SIC described the three, aged 34 to 48, as the alleged owners of the drug and said inquiries into other sales and storage points were continuing.
🇦🇴 Bairro Vimbalambi, Catumbela, Benguela · Angola
Angola’s Criminal Investigation Service in Benguela detained three citizens aged
between 34 and 48 in an operation in Bairro Vimbalambi, describing them as the
alleged owners of the drug.[1]The operation took place on a Thursday in the
municipality of Catumbela in Benguela province.[2]During the operation three
men aged between 34 and 48 were detained on suspicion of drug trafficking.[2]
Officers found liamba, as cannabis is known in Angola, buried inside the yard of
a residence in Catumbela.[1]The drug had been buried under a layer of sand in
the yard of a residence in Vimbalambi in an attempt to hide it.[2]The SIC
linked the individuals to storage and possible distribution of the substance in
the region.[2]
The SIC said inquiries were continuing to identify other sales and storage
points connected to the case.[1]The detainees were expected to be presented
to the Public Prosecutor’s Office in the following days while the seized product
followed the procedures provided by law.[2]No charge or court outcome beyond
the expected presentation to the prosecutor was reported.[2]
Case data
Every number and detail the sources state, with the sources that state it.
Jornal O Paísopais.aoPTSIC apreende 900 quilos de liamba escondidos numa camada de areia na Catumbela
Open questions the AI reported
Jornal de Angola reported 1,900 kilograms while O País reported 900 kilograms for the same seizure, so no weight is recorded.
Jornal de Angola described the detainees as three citizens while O País described them as three men; the report uses the shared description of three people.
The Jornal de Angola article was published on Friday 13 February 2026 and says the operation happened on Thursday, so 12 February 2026 is used as the incident date.
No names for the three detainees were published.
No charge or court outcome beyond the expected presentation to the Public Prosecutor's Office was reported.
Both accounts draw on the SIC version of events, so they are not independent.
Only two accessible sources for this event were found; the ANGOP page could not be opened.
Angola's National Police seized 169 kilograms of cannabis sativa, known as liamba, during crime-prevention operations across Luanda province from 6 to 8 November 2026. Officers also took two firearms, an AKM magazine with ammunition and a machete, and no arrests were reported.
Angola's Criminal Investigation Service stopped three men with 3,547.5 kg of liamba in 176 sacks near Mulondo, Cambundi Catembo, on 15 February 2026. The drug was bound for Luanda; the SIC estimated the load could sell for more than 14 million kwanzas.
Angola's Criminal Investigation Service burned 50,000 kg of liamba and more than 210 kg of cocaine seized in 2022 operations during coordinated incinerations in the week of 24 November 2022. The Bengo leg alone accounted for more than 33,000 kg of liamba, with smaller cannabis burns recorded in Namibe, Cunene and Huíla.
Police in Kiwaba-Nzoji, Malanje, seized about 1,300 kg of liamba concealed in cassava-flour sacks in a truck bound for Luanda and detained two people. The SIC took custody of the suspects and was preparing the criminal case for court.
