Ten individuals were arrested in flagrant delict for trafficking 2.4 million psychotropic tablets in an operation conducted by the service central de lutte contre le trafic illicite de drogues et de substances psychotropes of the Sûreté nationale. The arrests resulted from a targeted investigation into organized drug distribution networks operating within Algérie. Officers from the Sûreté nationale apprehended the suspects as they attempted to move the large shipment of illicit substances. The detainees, identified as Rachid Merabet, Hocine Touil, Nabil Ghazal, Fouad Ghazal, Nassim Touil, Ahamed Benaziza, Akram Benaziza, Oussama Tifoura, Ziad Asnine, and Idriss Gharbi, were taken into custody for processing. Authorities have transferred the case to the court in Sidi M’hamed to begin formal legal proceedings against the group.
Details of the Seizure
Laboratory analysis confirmed that the 2.4 million tablets confiscated by the Sûreté nationale are Prégabaline. Each unit of the seized shipment contains a dosage of 300 mg. Officials identified these pharmaceutical substances as part of the inventory recovered during the operation against the network involving Rachid Merabet, Hocine Touil, Nabil Ghazal, Fouad Ghazal, Nassim Touil, Ahamed Benaziza, Akram Benaziza, Oussama Tifoura, Ziad Asnine, and Idriss Gharbi. The shipment represents a significant volume of controlled medication intercepted by the service central de lutte contre le trafic illicite de drogues et de substances psychotropes. The items remain under secure storage as the case proceeds through the court in Sidi M’hamed. Investigative teams continue to document the evidence for upcoming judicial hearings regarding the distribution of these specific tablets.
Suspects and Ongoing Investigation
The criminal network involved in this trafficking operation consisted of 15 individuals in total. While authorities apprehended 10 suspects during the initial intervention, five additional members of the group remain in flight and are currently being sought by law enforcement.
The 10 individuals taken into custody are Rachid Merabet (44), Hocine Touil (37), Nabil Ghazal (32), Fouad Ghazal (29), Nassim Touil (39), Ahamed Benaziza (37), Akram Benaziza (26), Oussama Tifoura (31), Ziad Asnine (23), and Idriss Gharbi (44). All 10 suspects were presented before the pôle pénal national de lutte contre le terrorisme et la criminalité organisée transnationale of the tribunal of Sidi M’hamed on 29 October 2026.
Le parquet provided details regarding the legal basis for the ongoing proceedings. In a statement, the prosecutor's office noted: "Conformément aux dispositions de l’article 19 du Code de procédure pénale et de l’article 34 bis1 de la loi 25-03 modifiant et complétant la loi 04-18 relative à la prévention et à la répression de l’usage et du trafic illicites de stupéfiants et de substances psychotropes, le parquet près le pôle pénal national de lutte contre le terrorisme et la criminalité organisée transnationale du tribunal de Sidi M’hamed porte à la connaissance de l’opinion publique que suite à l’enquête préliminaire menée par le service central de lutte contre le trafic illicite de drogues et de substances psychotropes de la Sûreté nationale, un groupe criminel organisé composé de 15 individus a été arrêté."
Judicial authorities at the tribunal of Sidi M’hamed are now managing the case files for the detainees while search efforts continue for the remaining five suspects who evaded capture. The investigation remains active as officials process the evidence collected during the initial arrests.
