Drug trafficking of all types in Algeria still has a bright future ahead of it, in view of the quantities seized during the first half of the year, in particular with regard to heroin and cocaine, which respectively recorded a jump of 260% and nearly 500%.
More than 50% of this trafficking comes from the western region of the country, according to information provided by the National Office for the Fight against Drugs and Drug Addiction (ONLDT).
More than 36 tonnes of cannabis resin were seized in Algeria during the first half of the current year, including 51.40% in the western region of the country, according to an ONLDT report.
“In total, 36,766.548 kg of cannabis resin were seized during the first half of 2021, of which 51.40% in the western region of the country,” said the Office in its report, referring to the report anti-narcotics services (National Gendarmerie, DGSN and Customs).
The quantity of cannabis resin seized during this reference period recorded a decrease of 19.36% compared to the same period of the year 2020, according to the same source.
Regarding hard drugs, the quantity of heroin seized in Algeria recorded a substantial increase, from 33.159 grams during the first half of 2020 to 120.608 grams during the same period of the year 2021, an increase of 263, 73%, reveals the same record.
The quantity of cocaine seized also increased significantly from 10,106.119 grams to 497,120.439 grams, during the same reference period.
Seizures of psychotropic substances have, for their part, increased, from 1,975,140 to 2,494,624 tablets, during this same period, an increase of 26.30%, notes the Office in its report.
According to the investigations carried out by the services concerned, 34,309 individuals were involved in drug-related cases, up 1.27%, including 96 foreigners, according to the same report which shows 809 people on the run.
ONLDT data also reveals that among those involved, 7,402 are traffickers, while 13,644 are cannabis resin users, 5,945 are psychotropic substance traffickers and 7,105 others are users.
With regard to hard drug trafficking, it concerns 80 traffickers and 53 cocaine users, and 37 traffickers and 19 heroin users.
During the same period of the current year, 27,117 cases were handled by the fight services, against 27,579 cases handled in the same period of the year 2020, a decrease of 1.68%.
Of the total of these cases handled, 8,189 are related to illicit drug trafficking, 18,911 other cases related to drug possession and use, and 17 cases are related to the cultivation of drugs (cannabis and opium), concludes the same source.
