Ouagadougou: The judicial authorities of Léo organized on Saturday August 10, 2024, an incineration session of cigarette cartons containing 215 thousand packets estimated at 139 million FCFA, in the presence of provincial, municipal, military and paramilitaries and the local press.
According to the Faso prosecutor at the High Court ( TGI ) of Léo, Ahmed Ouattara , this incineration session which involved 430 cartons of ‘ Sir ‘ brand cigarettes or 215,000 packets is intended to raise awareness.
Mr. Ouattara also indicated that this significant seizure worth approximately 139 million FCFA was carried out thanks to the vigilance and combined efforts of elements of the Territorial Gendarmerie Brigade of Léo and the V olontaires pour ur defense of the homeland (VDP ).
‘ The operation took place on April 13, 2024 on the Léo Bieha axis and all the seized products were confiscated for destruction by order of the Léo judicial authorities ,’ he said .
According to him , an investigation was carried out by the Terri
torial Gendarmerie Brigade of Léo , at the end of which , the suspects were referred to the public prosecutor’s office on the basis of texts which repress this type of behavior.
‘ They were prosecuted for various offenses , in this case for cigarette smuggling by decision of the public prosecutor’s office dated June 16, 2024, he indicated.
The opportunity was for Ahmed Ouattara to invite the populations to collaborate with the Defense and Security Forces (FDS ) by denouncing all suspicious cases of trafficking .
The judicial authorities are making the fight against smuggling their hobbyhorse , he clarified.
In his opinion, smuggling causes huge losses to the state in terms of budget revenues.
And to add that it not only weighs down the national economy already affected by terrorism , but also distorts competition.
He invited all consumers of these products to dispose of them. Otherwise , noted the prosecutor, they are complicit in a vast network which constitutes fertile ground for the financing of vari
ous offenses linked to terrorism .
The high commissioner of the province of Sissili, Tewindé Isaac Sia welcomed the combined action of the actors which made it possible to intercept these contraband products .
For Mr. Sia , this destruction is a call to all offenders on the reprehensible nature of contraband products.
The first official of the province urged the FDS and the VDP to be in synergy of actions for more vigilance, in the fight against terrorism in all its forms.
Source : Burkina Information Agency