As part of International Customs Day, which will be celebrated on January 26, 2026, under the theme "Customs protecting society through vigilance and commitment," the Northern Regional Customs Directorate, which oversees the regions of Saint-Louis, Louga, and Matam, incinerated significant quantities of prohibited goods seized during the fight against illicit trafficking this Friday at the Gandon landfill. The ceremony was held under the supervision of Colonel Ahmadou Thioye, Regional Director of Customs for the North.

It has made it possible to permanently remove dangerous and illicit products worth an estimated 384 million CFA francs from circulation, illustrating the constant commitment of the customs services to the protection of the populations of the Saint-Louis, Louga and Matam regions.

Among the items incinerated were 628 cartons of counterfeit medications weighing a total of 6.966 tons, 613 cartons of prohibited food products weighing 1.7 tons, and 762 cartons of cigarettes weighing 808 kg. Customs officials also destroyed 289 kg of cannabis and 549 counterfeit $100 bills, highlighting the diversity and seriousness of the trafficking networks dismantled.

Speaking at the event, Colonel Ahmadou Thioye emphasized that these results are the fruit of reforms undertaken by the Customs Administration. These reforms have strengthened operational capabilities through increased mobility, the acquisition of non-intrusive control equipment, including mobile and portable scanners, and a nearly 30% increase in human capital. All these measures have contributed to better coverage of the territory and more effective operations.

The regional director also highlighted the exemplary synergy between the Customs Administration and other defense and security forces. "The seized goods were transported by army vehicles, secured by the gendarmerie, and incinerated by the national fire brigade, under the coordination of military zone no. 2. This collaboration is based on the pooling of resources, coordinated border management, and mutual technical assistance," Colonel Thioye stated.

The head of customs in the North also called on the population to strengthen their collaboration with customs and all defense and security forces, in order to better deal with the multifaceted threats facing the Northern region and to preserve the health, economic and social security of citizens.