Bénin: Major drug haul destroyed in Ouidah

The Bénin government has taken decisive action against organized crime with a high-profile incineration event in Ouidah, demonstrating the country’s zero-tolerance policy toward illicit substances. The National Agency for the Recovery of Seized Assets (Anracs) oversaw the public destruction of 95 kg of cocaine alongside substantial quantities of cannabis and psychotropic drugs at the Ahozon waste management facility.

Comprehensive crackdown on drug trafficking networks

The operation, conducted under strict judicial supervision, saw the participation of senior magistrates, justice ministry officials, and security forces including the Republican Police and Bénin Armed Forces. According to Anracs Director General Raynier Florent Gnansomon, the incinerated substances represent just a fraction of the country’s ongoing efforts to dismantle international drug trafficking networks operating through Bénin’s ports.

Port seizure reveals sophisticated smuggling methods

The most significant cocaine shipment – 95 kg of pure cocaine – was intercepted in mid-May 2026 at the Port of Cotonou during a targeted surveillance operation by the Special Fluvial and Maritime Police Unit. Elite officers discovered five drug packages ingeniously concealed within a ship’s strainer system, leading to an immediate investigation by the Central Office for Combating Illicit Drug Trafficking and Precursors (Ocertid).

Systematic destruction prevents reintroduction into criminal networks

In addition to the cocaine, authorities destroyed large quantities of cannabis and psychotropic substances that had been seized in recent judicial proceedings. Gnansomon emphasized that this systematic destruction serves two critical purposes: enforcing court decisions and eliminating any possibility of these dangerous substances re-entering either local or international criminal circuits.

Military-grade security throughout disposal process

The entire operation from transportation to site security at Ahozon followed strict regulatory protocols. A joint military-police task force maintained rigorous oversight during the controlled combustion process. “This destruction is one of our core responsibilities,” Gnansomon stated, highlighting that Anracs fulfills its legal mandate to manage and liquidate seized assets from transnational criminal organizations.

With these substances now permanently removed from circulation, Bénin marks the conclusion of multiple successful operations against drug trafficking networks operating within its territory.