Tension was palpable this Thursday, November 20, 2025, at the criminal, economic, and financial division of the Abidjan court, where a marathon hearing held lawyers, defendants, and journalists spellbound. The courtroom was packed by 8:45 a.m. for a session that didn't conclude until 2:15 p.m. Among the long list of cases examined, that of two young women from Guiberoua particularly attracted attention.

In the dock were a nursing assistant and a restaurant owner, both charged with international drug trafficking. The events date back to their time at Félix Houphouët-Boigny International Airport, where agents discovered 1.48 kg of cocaine meticulously concealed in the nursing assistant's suitcase.

The two defendants, visibly overwhelmed by events, claimed they were merely pawns, manipulated by a network whose extent they said they were unaware of. This line of defense is common in "mule" cases, but it failed to convince the prosecution.

Considering the seriousness of the offenses, the prosecutor requested five years' imprisonment for each of them, along with a fine of 10 million CFA francs . The State of Côte d'Ivoire, a civil party in the case, symbolically requested 1 franc , demonstrating its determination to fight against drug trafficking networks attempting to infiltrate the country.

The hearing ended in heavy silence, the two women now awaiting the final verdict. This case once again highlights the growing power of criminal networks and the ease with which some people, often vulnerable, find themselves recruited into high-risk operations.