Koupéla – In a significant crackdown on illegal contraband, more than 30,000 packs of cigarettes and several hundred kilograms of prohibited substances, including cannabis, tramadols, tramaking, and viagra, were incinerated in Koupéla on the evening of Thursday, December 14, 2023. The operation was conducted at the eastern exit of the town, in the Centre-East region, as reported by AIB.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the Faso prosecutor near the High Court (TGI) of Koupéla, these contraband products, collectively valued at approximately 40 million CFA francs, were seized and ordered to be destroyed by court decisions issued between 2016 and 2023. Ouoba emphasized that this mass incineration, the first of its kind for the region, serves as an important awareness-raising event.
The prosecutor highlighted the damaging impact of smuggling on the country’s economy, particularly how it distorts competition. While legally operating entities like MABUSIG contribute taxes to the state, illicit traders undermine the market, leading to revenue losses for the state and disadvantaging tax-compliant businesses.
Ouoba urged the public to actively denounce smuggling activities, emphasizing the collective responsibility in combating this illegal trade.
The High Commissioner of Kourittenga, Aïssata Angelina Traoré, expressed her satisfaction with the successful incineration of the contraband products, seeing it as a significant step in the ongoing fight against drugs in the province. She noted that such a large seizure indicates the effectiveness of the anti-drug efforts in the region.