Cameroon Customs Intercept Massive 245kg of Cocaine Worth $15 Million at Douala Airport

Seized containers of cocain

Cameroon Customs officials at Douala International Airport have intercepted a record haul of cocaine weighing 245 kilograms in a major anti-trafficking operation carried out on Friday afternoon, officials confirmed.

The shipment, arriving from Europe and hidden inside plastic barrels, was seized at approximately 1:00 p.m. during routine checks. Authorities estimate the market value of the drugs at nearly 15 million U.S. dollars, equivalent to about 9 billion CFA francs.

The seizure, according to a statement from the Directorate General of Customs, is a significant blow to drug trafficking networks and a testament to the heightened vigilance at Cameroon’s borders. The operation was conducted under the coordination of Finance Minister Louis Paul Motaze, who oversees national customs operations.

“This intervention, carried out with efficiency and professionalism, uncovered a carefully concealed cargo of cocaine hydrochloride, a potent and highly addictive narcotic with devastating physical and psychological effects,” the statement said.

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Judicial procedures are already under way. The drugs, now sealed as evidence, will be handed over to the competent judicial and security authorities as the investigation progresses.

Cameroon’s customs agency emphasized its continuing commitment to strengthening intelligence, targeting, and border security mechanisms, in close collaboration with security services, national and international partners, and the judiciary.

“This seizure sends a clear message to criminal networks: Cameroon remains resolute in its fight to safeguard its borders and preserve the country’s stability,” the customs authority added.Southern Cameroons tourism packages

This is the latest in a series of drug interdictions at Douala, which has become a critical checkpoint in the region’s efforts to curb transnational narcotics trafficking.

What more can be done to tighten airport security against sophisticated trafficking techniques? Are regional cooperation and intelligence sharing sufficient to break the drug networks? How will this affect perceptions of Cameroon’s role in the global anti-narcotics fight?

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