Niger’s Central Office for the Suppression of Illicit Drug Trafficking (OCRTIS) dismantled a transnational drug-trafficking network in the city of Niamey on 16 June 2021 and arrested four people.[1] The network comprised one person of Nigerien nationality and three others of Malian nationality.[2] Police described the well-structured network as one Nigerien and three foreigners.[1] Police presented the suspects and the seized drugs to the press on 22 June.[1]
Officers seized 94 kilograms of cannabis in the operation.[2] Police estimated the market value of the seized cannabis at about 25,000,000 CFA francs.[1] Officers also seized a vehicle, a motorcycle, 517,000 CFA francs including 420,000 francs in counterfeit notes, and several mobile phones.[2]
A Niamey-based member of the network received and secured cannabis brought into Niger before it was moved onward to Mali in goods-transport trucks.[2] Other members who had come from Gao in Mali guarded the onward movement for the occasion.[2] National police spokesperson Dr Mountari Habou gave the account on behalf of OCRTIS.[2] Analysts called the Niger-to-Mali routing new because cannabis usually came from Mali en route to North African countries.[2] OCRTIS was urged to redouble vigilance against expanding drug trafficking in Niger and the public was asked to collaborate.[2]
