Police in Djougou, Benin, arrested a couple on 16 October 2026 for their alleged involvement in the trafficking of counterfeit pharmaceutical products. Officers from the police républicaine conducted the operation within the city to dismantle the distribution network of illicit medicines. The suspects remain in custody as authorities process the seized inventory for further investigation. Officials confirmed the arrests followed a targeted effort to curb the sale of unregulated drugs in the area.
Details of the Police Operation
Officers from the police républicaine of the first and second arrondissements of Djougou executed the operation at a residence located in the Kilir neighborhood. According to the police républicaine, "Le domicile abritait de volumineux stocks de spécialités pharmaceutiques contrefaites, méthodiquement entreposés dans trois chambres distinctes. La pesée réglementaire sur la balance a affiché un score sans appel : 243,4 kilogrammes de marchandises illicites définitivement retirés du circuit."
The inventory remained stored in the three distinct rooms within the residence at the time of the seizure. The police républicaine stated, "Les investigations se poursuivent activement sous l’autorité du parquet pour localiser et appréhender un troisième complice, actuellement en cavale."
Scale of Seized Pharmaceutical Products
Police républicaine officers confirmed the total weight of the seized pharmaceutical products reached 243.4 kilograms. This cache of unregulated medicine, found during the search of the Kilir residence, represents the entirety of the inventory recovered by authorities during the operation. Officials categorized the seized materials as counterfeit goods intended for illicit distribution within Djougou.
The couple arrested on 16 October 2026 remains in police custody while investigators process the evidence collected at the site. These individuals are held at a secure facility in Benin as the police républicaine prepares the case for the local parquet. No formal charges have been finalized pending the completion of the investigation into the supply chain that fed the Kilir storage site.
Authorities are currently searching for a third accomplice linked to the trafficking network who remains in hiding. Police républicaine units have expanded their search efforts throughout the surrounding districts to locate the individual. Officers stated that the identification of this suspect occurred following the initial questioning of the two suspects already in custody. The investigation continues under the supervision of the local prosecutor to ensure the apprehension of the remaining member of the group.