Douala: 60-year-old arrested in possession of cocaine worth one billion FCFA.

The consignment was intercepted May 31. The shipment, which originated from Sao Paulo, Brazil, arrived in Douala disguised as a legitimate cargo of shoes.

Upon inspection of some eight packages, weighing a total of 166 kilograms, customs officers found that the shoes and handbags featured wooden handles. 

The said handles, upon closer examination, were found to be hollow and contained the hidden sedatives.

The accused, a man of approximately 60-year-old, was immediately taken into custody. 

The illicit drugs and the evidence have both been handed over to the Public Prosecutor of the Douala-Bonanjo High Court for further investigation and legal proceedings. 

The operation was supervised by the Acting Head of the Douala II Customs Sector, Hissoak Bonguen Jean Patrice.

Observers say the discovery highlights the growing sophistication and ingenuity of drug traffickers who continuously devise new methods to smuggle contraband across international borders. 

It should be noted that last month, the Douala Customs had intercepted 15kg of Cocaine bound for Sri Lanka in South Asia. 

According to the authorities, the 15 kilograms of cocaine were evaluated at approximately 700 million FCFA. 

The narcotics were found hidden in the suitcase of a passenger amidst containers of hair products weighing a total of 130 kilograms.

Similarly, authorities at the Bamenda Central Police Station in the North West Region had successfully raided and arrested 26 drug traffickers in the Old Town neighborhood. 

The operation came just one week after another gang of 20 was dismantled in the same area. The early morning raid on Sunday, May 5, was carried out following a tip-off from an unidentified source. 

The swift action by the police led to the arrest and subsequent parade of the suspects.

This story first published in The Guardian Post issue No3131 of Tuesday June 04, 2024