Fatick, Jan 26 (APS) – The Fatick customs subdivision mobilized to counter any illicit traffic of covid-19 vaccines, said the head of the Fatick customs’ subdivision, Lieutenant -colonel, Ndèye Fatou Ndiaye.
“Our agents are mobilized to counter any smuggling of doses of covid-19 vaccines”, she told to APS on the occasion of the 2021 international Customs Day.
She stressed that in this context of health crisis, malicious people could smuggle anti-covid-19 vaccines. Therefore, beyond the mission of fighting against drug trafficking, ours agents are mobilized to counter any illicit trafficking of vaccines against covid-19 too, she insisted.
The head of the Fatick Customs’ Subdivision reported that most of smuggled drugs get into Fatick through several areas but mostly transit in the Republic of The Gambia.
“In particular through the islands of Saloum where the smuggled imported drugs got in by canoes most of the time”, she added.
She further reported that an “upward” trend is noticed in the trafficking of fake drugs between late 2020 and early 2021 in Fatick, within global context of health crisis.
“In early 2021, a significant amount of smuggled drugs worth 13 million CFA francs were seized,” she said.
According to her, “this reveals that in 2021 a risk of major seizures of smuggled drugs or fake drugs is predicable.”
“We are anticipating, and an alert and surveillance system is set up to better counter any illicit trafficking of prohibited products in the area,” she insisted.
The international customs day 2021 edition is dedicated to the “Resilience, recovery, renewal: Customs at the service of a sustainable logistics chain”.
AB / ASB / AKS
