Algerian authorities have seized more than 1.23 million psychotropic pills in a major anti-smuggling operation near the Libyan border, according to the country’s Ministry of National Defence.
The operation, carried out on Friday, 13 June, took place northeast of In Amenas, a desert region close to the volatile Libya-Algeria frontier. During the sweep, Algerian army units arrested three armed foreign nationals in possession of an FMPK light machine gun, a sniper rifle, and a large quantity of ammunition.
The Ministry stated that the troops also confiscated a Toyota Station 4×4 vehicle, a Thuraya satellite phone, two mobile phones, and 1,238,445 pills of the drug pregabalin. The consignment was believed to be prepared for trafficking.
In Amenas, situated in a sensitive border zone, has become a focal point for organised crime networks that are believed to exploit regional instability, particularly in Libya and across the Sahel. Authorities in Algiers have voiced growing concern over the increasing scale and sophistication of cross-border smuggling operations.
The seizure comes amid growing calls for enhanced joint action between Algeria and Libya. At a bilateral customs cooperation meeting held in December, both countries reaffirmed their commitment to tackling illicit trade, particularly in drugs, money, and pharmaceuticals.
In response to escalating narcotics trafficking, Algeria has recently amended its legislation to include the death penalty for drug-related crimes that result in death or cause significant harm to public health. The law also applies in aggravated circumstances where trafficking presents a major threat to society.
Algerian officials continue to stress the serious economic and health consequences of cross-border smuggling, particularly in light of regional instability and weak law enforcement structures on the Libyan side of the border.
