The Tunis Criminal Court handed down sentences of 15 to 30 years in prison this Friday, December 26, 2025, against four individuals of sub-Saharan nationality, members of an international cocaine trafficking network. The convicts were arrested during an operation at Tunis-Carthage airport, while they were trying to smuggle drugs into Tunisian territory.
The defendants’ method was to divide the cocaine into capsules which they swallowed to conceal it in their digestive system. This very risky technique allowed the network to transport several kilos of drugs while escaping traditional controls.
Interception at the airport
The traffickers were spotted upon their arrival from a European country at Tunis-Carthage airport. Following a suspicious check, they were subjected to a body scan revealing the presence of foreign bodies in their stomachs. In total, 380 cocaine capsules were seized, confirming the scale of trafficking.
The Criminal Court imposed sentences ranging from 15 to 30 years in prison, highlighting the seriousness of the offenses and the organized nature of the network. The magistrates underlined the international coordination necessary for this type of operations.
This conviction is part of the reinforced fight against drug trafficking in Tunisia, particularly via international entry points. It illustrates the severity of the courts in the face of organized drug networks operating on a transnational scale.
