Hommam Al Nassim 
The Security authorities in the eastern Algerian province of Bordj Bou Arreridj announced that they had dismantled an international criminal network specializing in smuggling drugs and hallucinogenic drugs across the border.
The operation resulted in the seizure of a large quantity of hallucinogenic pills and the arrest of five persons with criminal records.
The Algerian National Gendarmerie, which led the operation, announced the seizure of 838,200 capsules of pregabalin, a foreign-made drug used as an anesthetic, and the seizure of a truck and a private car used to transport hallucinogens.
Large sums of money estimated at 450 million centimes (about 30,864 euros) were found from the proceeds of the drug trade, along with money in various foreign currencies and counterfeit banknotes in national and foreign currency.
The security forces seized eight mobile phones equipped with chips for foreigners, indicating the cross-border nature of the network’s operations, and explained that the suspects will be brought to trial before the competent judicial authorities.
Algerian authorities had previously arrested a Moroccan smuggler in the city of Bechar, and smuggling operations are suspected of being carried out across the south-western border using donkeys to transport drugs.
The Algerian government has increased sentences to life imprisonment and has established four drug addiction treatment centers nationwide.
Relaunching train service between Algeria and Tunisia after a three-decade interruption