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Mozambique’s National Criminal Investigation Service (SERNIC) on Tuesday incinerated over 1.3 tonnes of fentanyl and an unspecified quantity of chemical precursors in Moamba landfill, in southern Maputo province.

The incineration was carried out in coordination with the country’s Central Office for the Prevention and Combating of Drugs (GCPCD). The illegal substances were packaged in 207 boxes seized on 13 August at the Cargo Terminal of Maputo International Airport.

The cargo originated in Brazil and transited through Angola before arriving in the country.

According to SERNIC spokesperson Hilário Lole, laboratory tests confirmed that the seized substances were fentanyl. Samples were collected prior to destruction to serve as judicial evidence in the ongoing criminal proceedings.

This action follows previous major anti-drug operations in Moamba. On 31 July, SERNIC incinerated about 560 sacks and drums of chemical raw materials linked to two Mexican nationals, following the dismantling of a warehouse in Matola. Earlier, on 3 July, authorities destroyed 3.7 tonnes of fentanyl seized in a private company’s warehouse at Maputo Airport.

The Mexican nationals are believed to be related to the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the most powerful organized crime organizations in the world, founded in 1987 by Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.

Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine, classified by health and law enforcement authorities as a high-risk substance capable of causing fatal respiratory failure even in minute doses.

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Tagged: Mozambique, Legal and Judicial Affairs, Southern Africa

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