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Home News Guinea-Bissau Judicial Police Burns 2,633kg of Cocaine Seized on Arrival at Bissau Airport

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Guinea-Bissau Judicial Police Burns 2,633kg of Cocaine Seized on Arrival at Bissau Airport

Oluwasegun SanusiSeptember 20, 20241 Mins read655

Guinea-Bissau’s Judicial Police has incinerated 2,633.1 kilograms of cocaine on Thursday, following a record-breaking seizure earlier this month.

The drugs, confiscated during “Operation Landing” at Bissau International Airport on September 7, were destroyed to show the country’s commitment to combating the narcotics trade.

The incineration took place in Safim, a town on the outskirts of Bissau, under the supervision of judicial authorities, including the Public Prosecutor’s Office, and international experts from the DEA, Interpol, and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Representatives from the Ministry of the Interior, the Supreme Court of Justice, and the Guinean Human Rights League also attended to ensure transparency.

National Director of the Judicial Police, Domingos Monteiro Correia, stated that the destruction followed the procedural guidelines outlined in the country’s drug laws.

“This is a procedural act covered by article 36 of the drug law, which establishes the destruction of narcotic products. We have executed the magistrate’s order for the incineration,” Correia explained.

The historic seizure, the largest in Guinea-Bissau’s history, involved 2,633 kilograms of cocaine smuggled aboard a private aircraft from Venezuela. The operation was conducted in collaboration with international partners, including the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre – Narcotics (MAOC-N). Five crew members, all Latin Americans, were arrested and are facing trial in Bissau.

The president of the Guinean Human Rights League, Bubacar Turé, praised the transparent process but expressed concerns over the handling of previous cases.

“In the past, similar drug busts resulted in no convictions due to corrupt judicial processes. I hope this case ends differently,” Turé remarked.

UNODC’s head in Guinea-Bissau, Ana Cristina Andrade commended the authorities for their accountability, saying, “This transparent destruction of drugs reflects the seriousness of Guinea-Bissau’s commitment to fighting drug trafficking.”