Niamey, 7 June 2026 – Nigerien authorities have taken a significant step in combating drug trafficking by incinerating a large cocaine haul seized in several operations across the country. The ceremony took place this Sunday at the Central Livestock Laboratory (LABOCEL) under the supervision of the National Drug Control Coordination Commission (CNCLD).

Over 319 kilogrammes of cocaine destroyed

A total of 280 cocaine bricks, weighing 319.745 kilogrammes, were destroyed. This large quantity came from two major seizures: 47 bricks intercepted in Gaya, in the Dosso region, on 29 September 2025, and 233 bricks seized in Zinder on 19 May 2026.

Before the incineration, officers from the Technical and Scientific Police Directorate (DPTS) analysed a sample of the substance. Tests confirmed it was cocaine in hydrochloride (HCL) form.

Destruction in line with narcotics management standards

In his speech, the President of the CNCLD, Mai Moussa Elhadji Bashir, emphasised that this operation meets international requirements for managing seized narcotics. He noted that authorities must destroy confiscated drugs within reasonable timeframes to avoid risks associated with storage, especially since judicial proceedings can span several years.

Mobilisation of judicial and security authorities

Presiding over the ceremony, the Minister of Justice, Alio Daouda, attended the various stages of the drug destruction alongside several senior judicial and security officials. The ceremony was also attended by the Public Prosecutor at the Niamey High Court, the Director of the Central Office for Combating Illicit Drug Trafficking (OCRTIS), the Director General of LABOCEL, and several representatives of defence and security forces.

In summary, this destruction of over 300 kilogrammes of cocaine demonstrates the determination of Nigerien authorities to intensify the fight against drug trafficking networks, a phenomenon that poses a growing challenge to the security and stability of the Sahel region.