Niger destroys over 319 kg of cocaine in Niamey incineration operation

Niamey, 7 June 2026 – Nigerien authorities took a decisive step in their anti-drug trafficking efforts by incinerating a massive cocaine haul seized during multiple operations nationwide. The ceremony took place this Sunday at the Central Livestock Laboratory (LABOCEL), under the auspices of the National Coordination Commission for Drug Control (CNCLD).

Over 319 kilograms of cocaine destroyed

In total, 280 bricks of cocaine, weighing 319.745 kilograms, were incinerated. This large quantity came from two major seizures: 47 bricks intercepted in Gaya, in the Dosso region, on 29 September 2025, and 233 bricks seized in Zinder on 19 May 2026.

Before the incineration, agents from the Directorate of Technical and Scientific Police (DPTS) analysed a sample of the substance. The tests confirmed it was cocaine hydrochloride (HCL).

Destruction in line with international narcotics management standards

During his speech, CNCLD chairman Mai Moussa Elhadji Bashir stressed that the operation meets global requirements for handling seized narcotics. He explained that authorities must destroy confiscated drugs within a reasonable timeframe to avoid storage risks, even as judicial proceedings can last several years.

Mobilisation of judicial and security authorities

Presiding over the ceremony, Minister of Justice Alio Daouda witnessed the destruction process alongside several senior judicial and security officials. Also present were the Public Prosecutor attached to the Niamey Special High Court, the Director of the Central Office for the Repression of Illicit Drug Trafficking (OCRTIS), the Director General of LABOCEL, and multiple representatives of the defence and security forces.

In summary, this destruction of over 300 kilograms of cocaine underscores the determination of Nigerien authorities to ramp up the fight against drug trafficking networks, a phenomenon that poses a growing challenge to security and stability in the Sahel region.