Tunisia‘s security sources have revealed the recent interception of operations smuggling large quantities of drugs and thousands of irregular migrants, mostly Africans, as the numbers surged due to escalating wars in Sudan and coastal countries.
Authorities have declared that the Tunisian security forces’ priority, including anti-terrorism units and drug enforcement agencies, is now “firmly tackling illegal drug trafficking and combating its promotion near schools, universities, and residential areas.”
Throughout 2023, security operations in Tunisia seized over 3 million narcotics tablets and kilograms of cocaine, alongside substantial amounts of cannabis and smuggled prohibited pills. The country has transitioned from being a transit point to a region of drug promotion and consumption.
President Kais Saied has ordered a “firm” crackdown on drug-related activities across Tunisia, particularly near educational institutions. Additionally, the Tunisian National Guard has recently detained suspects involved in drug trafficking across various regions, confiscating illegal vessels used for human trafficking towards Europe.
Despite intensified security measures, the Tunisian and Libyan security authorities have noted a surge in “irregular migration,” with thousands rescued from drowning off the coasts of Tunisia and Libya, predominantly youths fleeing wars, unemployment, and poverty in Sudan, Chad, Mali, Ivory Coast, and other sub-Saharan African countries.
Tunisian maritime forces have thwarted 55 human smuggling attempts within the past two days alone, rescuing 1867 clandestine migrants, including Tunisians and individuals from sub-Saharan Africa, while retrieving 13 bodies of drowned individuals of various nationalities.
Simultaneously, Tunisian security forces have arrested individuals involved in organizing human smuggling operations, confiscating vessels and engines used for trafficking purposes. They have also dismantled an illegal workshop manufacturing boats utilized in smuggling.
In addition to combating human trafficking, Tunisian security agencies have intensified their pursuit of “extremist elements.” A suspected member of a terrorist organization was recently apprehended in Ariana province, north-east of Tunis.
Concurrently, the Ministry of Justice has introduced amendments to the judicial institutions responsible for cases related to “terrorism and conspiring against state security” in Tunis.
These cases involve politicians, prominent businessmen, former parliament members, and ex-government officials accused of assassinations, money laundering, and financial corruption.
