Cameroonian customs authorities have made a record drug seizure at Douala International Airport, intercepting a shipment with an estimated value of CFA 50 billion. The seizure, carried out on February 20, 2026, included one ton of tramadol and one and a half tons of cocaine, representing nearly 40 million tramadol tablets.
Clavère Nken, Head of the Communication Unit at the Ministry of Public Health, emphasized the importance of this interception, calling it one of the most significant in recent years. According to Finance Minister Louis Paul Motazé, the value of the seizure is estimated at approximately US$90 million. The six shipments, transported by a European airline and an African airline, had been falsely declared as medical supplies in order to evade border controls.
Cameroonian authorities insist that beyond the market value, this seizure represents averted human tragedies, potentially protecting lives, families, and young people from addiction. Minister Motazé stated that the seizure would prevent approximately 27 million tramadol tablets from entering the domestic market, highlighting the public health and social risks associated with drug abuse.
The seized substances will be destroyed in accordance with the law, and those responsible will be held accountable for their actions. Authorities reiterate that the fight against drugs is a social and health battle, emphasizing prevention, information on the dangers of narcotics, community awareness, and strengthening youth education.
Public authorities emphasize the need to support people suffering from addiction, by implementing appropriate medical, psychological, and social care, with the strengthening of prevention, screening, treatment, and reintegration centers. The effective collaboration between sectoral administrations, including customs, security forces, and health professionals, has been praised.
Families, teachers, employers, community leaders, and institutional partners are called upon to maintain their vigilance. This record seizure surpasses the interception of 200 kg of cocaine in July 2025, which was then valued at CFA 9 billion.
Each intercepted shipment is a victory in the fight against drug trafficking, but the greatest victory remains the protection of an informed youth supported towards a healthy future, concluded Clavère Nken. Since 2016, seizures have increased at Douala and Yaoundé-Nsimalen airports, partly due to the deployment of airport anti-trafficking units, tasked with tackling transnational smuggling.
