Police operatives in Niger have seized a record 214 kilogrammes (471 pounds) of cocaine and arrested two suspects involved who tried to smuggle the substance to Libya.
According to reports gathered, a local mayor and his driver were arrested after police operatives followed the trail of a quantity of drugs smuggled in from Mali found 214.6 kilos of cocaine in a municipal car from Fachi.
The seized drugs, vehicle and the two suspects were paraded before the press
Police in Niger said Wednesday they had in the country’s northern desert and arrested as they allegedly tried to drive to Libya with the haul.
The drug, as well as the two suspects and their vehicle, were brought before the press in Niamey by the Sahel nation’s drug agency OCRTIS after the operation on Sunday.
According to OCRTIS spokesperson, Nana Aichatou Ousmane Bako, the suspects’ car was heading to Dirkou, which lies close to the border with Libya.
“It’s the first time that our country has seized such a big quantity of cocaine,” she said.
Bako further revealed that the drugs’ final destination was Europe, where it had an estimated street value of more than $19 million (nearly 17 million euros).
Source: Independent
