Algerian troops seize 110 smugglers at borders with Niger

The Algerian army troops arrested more than 110 smugglers in several border areas of the country in the past day, a source from the Defense Ministry said on Monday.

The largest number of some 110 smugglers were intercepted in the localities of Tiririne, on the border with Niger, the source said.

The army troops seized two 4x4 vehicles with 58 metal detectors, 15 jackhammers, two generators, 608 grams of TNT, four mobile phones, scales and CFA 45,000.

Algerian authorities said this group was heading to one of the gold deposits in the desert, which are still not exploited by any official entity.

Another four smugglers were arrested on eastern, western and southern borders, the source said, adding that a large quantity of fuel, drugs, coral, surveillance cameras, and GPS devices were retrieved.

After deploying more army troops across the land borders to thwart terrorist groups from entering Algeria, notably from Libya, Tunisia and Mali, the army troops foil almost daily trafficking attempts conducted by organized crime gangs.