Algerian customs publishes the outcome of seizures during the first quarter of 2023 – Al-Hiwar Al-Jazairia

The Algerian customs services, within the framework of combating smuggling, carried out 367 seizure operations across the entire national territory, during the first quarter of the current year 2023.

According to customs data on its anti-smuggling activities, between January 1 and March 31, 367 operations were carried out that resulted in the seizure of goods with a total value of 1.119 billion DZD, while the value of fines resulting from these economic crimes amounted to 11.991 billion DZD.

During the smuggling attempts that were confronted by the customs authorities, 149 cars, 25 trucks, 3 tractor vehicles, 7 motorcycles and 9 red cars were used, according to the same source, which indicated that the number of violators involved in these operations is estimated at 407.

This came as a result of field customs interventions across the entire customs territory, including sea and air border crossings, and land border crossings, within the framework of exercising the protective tasks of this agency related to combating various forms of smuggling and cross-border crime in order to protect the national economy and contribute to security tasks aimed at protecting health. Publicity, public security and order, and cultural heritage.

Regarding the nature of seizures, the General Directorate of Customs stated that they are mainly represented in drugs and hallucinogens, tobacco and cigarettes, fuel, explosives, alcoholic beverages, foreign currencies, precious metals, weapons and ammunition, foodstuffs, including subsidized and widely consumed, vehicles.

With regard to hallucinogens and narcotics, customs seized during the first three months of 2023 more than 1.9 tons of treated kif, more than 770 thousand units of hallucinogenic substances and approximately 14 kg of hard drugs, in addition to 8.5 kg of the drug “Bango”.

46,000 liters of oil and about 840 tons of semolina and farina were seized

With regard to tobacco, tobacco products and alcoholic beverages, the results show that 24,377 cartridges of cigarettes, 11,049 kg, 5,672 cartridges of sniffing tobacco, 22,066 units and 2,720 liters of alcoholic beverages were seized.
With regard to precious metals and foreign currencies, customs seized 344.7 g of gold at 132,480 euros, 14,200 US dollars, 43,000 Tunisian dinars and 30,000 Saudi riyals.

As for food items, especially fortified and widely consumed, 3,834 kg of dough, 6,282 kg of mixed fruits, 836,260 kg of semolina and farina, 46,050 liters of table oil and 612,520 kg of sugar were seized, according to the same tally.

27,625 liters of fuel, 91,349 units of firecrackers and fireworks, 6,857 units of sensitive equipment, 31,674 units of various clothes and shoes, 2,377 kg of worn clothes were seized, in addition to other confiscations such as medicines, cosmetics, engines and used spare parts. Weapons, ammunition, mobile phones and their accessories, and other seized items.

The Directorate considered that “these figures reflect the tireless efforts of customs agents, and their full mobilization in order to perform the tasks entrusted to them, vigilantly protecting the national economy, by tightening control mechanisms, and strengthening field intervention programs to address all smuggling attempts as well as cross-border crimes across the entire national territory as well as Coordinating joint field intervention programs with the various security services, especially the military establishment.