Tunisian Customs thwarted an attempt to smuggle 24 kilograms of Indian hemp, concealed in 100 small boxes, on the southeastern border with Libya.
The operation, part of the ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking along the southern border, was carried out by customs units in Tunisia’s Tataouine region.
Two patrols from the customs guard in Tataouine tracked, and apprehended an off-road vehicle. Following its trail, the vehicle was discovered stranded in the sand dunes.
Upon thorough inspection, a plastic bag containing 100 small boxes of Indian hemp, totalling over 24.5 kilograms, was found inside, along with a wireless device.
The seized vehicle was transported to the unit’s headquarters. The confiscated items were then handed over to the relevant customs authorities, for further investigation.
Last month, Libya’s Anti-Drug and Psychotropic Substance Agency announced the successful thwarting of an attempt to smuggle cannabis, across the border from Tunisia.
The operation took place in Nalut, west of the country, with the cooperation of the Stability Support Apparatus (SSA)
The agency revealed that approximately 800 pieces of cannabis were seized, near the Tunisian border. The operation, authorized by the Attorney General’s Office followed intelligence received by the agency.
In June, Tunisian customs authorities at the Ras Jedir border crossing successfully managed to thwart an attempt to smuggle foreign currency, valued at 2.4 million Tunisian dinars.
In a statement, the General Administration of Customs said that “this comes as part of efforts to stop the smuggling of money on the southeastern border with Libya.”
It added that a customs guard patrol was able to thwart the attempt to smuggle €525,000 Euros and $213,000 US Dollars. These were hidden in a car with a foreign license plate, in the Chichma region in Medenine. The total value of the seized money was estimated at 2.4 million dinars.
A spokesman for the General Administration of Customs, Brigadier Haitham Znad, confirmed that the seized money was secured by the Central Bank of Tunisia. He added that a report of seizure has been ratified, and the public prosecutor has been informed to initiate the necessary legal proceedings.