Guiriko: Over 780 kg of Indian hemp seized by the gendarmerie in Faramana. The national gendarmerie presented, this Thursday in Bobo-Dioulasso, a major seizure of narcotics carried out on April 23, 2026, on National Route 9 (RN9), about ten kilometers from Faramana, in the Guiriko region. In total, 1,241 slabs of Indian hemp, weighing 783.1 kilograms, were seized for an estimated value of 86.87 million CFA francs.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the operation was launched following an anonymous tip about a suspicious van parked on the road. A team composed of gendarmes and Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland (VDP) was then deployed to investigate.
Upon the arrival of security forces, the driver of the vehicle, identified by the initials DI, and his accomplice fled. Their apprentice, HA, was apprehended while also attempting to escape. Initial checks revealed slabs of drugs carefully concealed under bags of food, including soy, to evade security checks.
"The search of the vehicle revealed 1,241 slabs of drugs, concealed under bags of food, for a total weight of 783.1 kg. The value of the seizure is estimated at 86.87 million CFA francs," the speakers indicated. Captain Bienvenue Somda, Commander of the Bobo-Dioulasso Gendarmerie Company, described this operation as an "astronomical seizure" of narcotics.
For Major Yacouba Birba, commander of the Faramana territorial gendarmerie brigade, the cargo originated from a neighboring country and was to be transported to another neighboring country, illustrating the scale of cross-border trafficking in the sub-region.
The arrested suspect was brought before the Prosecutor of Faso at the Bobo-Dioulasso High Court on April 27, 2026, on charges of drug trafficking and complicity. An investigation has been launched to locate the other members of the network. The authorities reiterated that drug trafficking constitutes a major security threat that can contribute to the financing of terrorism in the sub-region. They also commended the public's cooperation and urged citizens to strengthen their vigilance and cooperation with the defense and security forces.