In Abidjan, Police Step Up Their Fight Against Drug Dealers and Smoking Dens

In Abidjan, the fight against drug trafficking and use is mobilising the Directorate of Narcotics and Drugs Police (DPSD). Operations conducted in several neighbourhoods across the district have targeted suspected dealers, places where drugs are used, and distribution channels for unregistered pharmaceutical products.

The operations notably concerned Yopougon, Adjamé and Attécoubé. They resulted in raids, arrests and seizures. Authorities present this action as a response to a phenomenon that also affects the school environment.

Raids conducted at dawn in Yopougon

An operation was launched very early in the morning in Yopougon, in the KM 17 area. Officers from the DPSD special brigade entered the area to search for people suspected of selling narcotics.

In a first home searched, police discovered equipment associated with drug use, but found no narcotics there. Suspects were nevertheless arrested. Another search also led to the discovery of young users and cannabis being consumed, although no product was seized from that residence.

A third operation resulted in a more significant seizure. After around an hour of searching a home, police said they had discovered an amount of drugs estimated at around 10 million CFA francs. The targeted suspect was taken into custody, according to information reported during the operation.

In Adjamé, monitoring unregistered pharmaceutical products

In the Adjamé Roxy neighbourhood, other DPSD teams focused on the sale of unregistered pharmaceutical products. Authorities stress that some products sold in this area may contain substances considered to be narcotics.

Tramadol is among the products mentioned. Presented as a medicine used to treat pain, it is also subject to misuse. This confusion between a medical product and a substance consumed outside a therapeutic context is a specific issue for services responsible for fighting drugs.

The seizures carried out in Adjamé are therefore part of an approach involving both health and security controls. The stated objective is to identify products sold outside regulated channels and to limit consumers’ access to them.

Nine people arrested during the dismantling of smoking dens in Attécoubé

In Attécoubé, another operation targeted smoking dens, places identified by police as areas where drugs are used. Nine suspects, including one woman, were arrested. Officers announced the seizure of 10 kilograms of cannabis.

DPSD officials stress the role expected of the public. They believe that residents with information about illegal activities can help report concerning situations to the relevant services.

However, the issue goes beyond isolated operations alone. Trafficking, drug use and the existence of smoking dens also raise questions of prevention, access to information and the protection of the groups most exposed. The situation of young people is a particular concern, as discussed in our article on why young people in Côte d’Ivoire are particularly exposed to drugs.

Prevention in schools

The DPSD’s actions are not limited to enforcement. In schools, authorities also prioritise awareness-raising. They say they want to reach pupils to inform them about the risks associated with cannabis, heroin and other substances, including psychotropic pills.

The transcript states that around forty pupils were arrested between January and September 2008 in various schools across the country. It also mentions that, during the first half of 2018, more than 600 suspects were reportedly arrested and around one hundred smoking dens dismantled by the DPSD.

These two distinct time references show that authorities have combined police operations and prevention initiatives in schools at different times. The challenge is to reduce young people’s entry into drug use before these practices become firmly established.

This approach echoes broader questions about minors’ access to risky products and environments in the economic capital. On this subject, also read: Minors, Alcohol, Tobacco and Sexuality: Protection Gaps in Abidjan.

Enforcement and awareness: two parts of the same strategy

The operations conducted in Yopougon, Adjamé and Attécoubé illustrate two complementary approaches: pursuing suspected dealers and removing illegal products from circulation, while informing young people about the consequences of drug use.

The arrests and seizures do not prejudge the guilt of the individuals concerned, which remains subject to the applicable judicial procedures. They nevertheless reflect the police services’ determination to maintain a presence in neighbourhoods identified as being exposed to trafficking, the informal sale of medicines and smoking dens.

Faced with a phenomenon described by authorities as destructive for young people and families, the effectiveness of the response depends as much on investigations and controls as on early prevention, collective vigilance and directing people facing substance use towards appropriate support.

Frequently asked questions about the fight against drugs in Abidjan

Which neighbourhoods were affected by the operations mentioned?

The operations mentioned took place in Yopougon, in the KM 17 area, in Adjamé Roxy and in Attécoubé.

Which substances or products were mentioned?

Cannabis, tramadol and psychotropic pills were mentioned. Authorities also targeted unregistered pharmaceutical products.

Why do police intervene in schools?

The DPSD says it prioritises raising pupils’ awareness in order to inform them about the risks associated with using drugs and psychotropic substances.