Operation Sparrowhawk XI has just scored a decisive victory in the fight against illicit trafficking in Côte d'Ivoire. Acting on precise intelligence, the forces of the Anti-Crime Brigade (BAC) of the Yamoussoukro Police Prefecture dismantled a network involved in the fraudulent sale of mercury. The operation, carried out in the 220 Logements neighborhood, led to the discovery of a clandestine warehouse where a significant quantity of this highly toxic and regulated substance was hidden.

The search, carried out under the instructions of the Public Prosecutor at the Toumodi court, revealed the traffickers' ingenuity in evading the authorities. Anti-crime squad officers discovered 21 containers of mercury carefully hidden under a bed in a room used as a storage area. In total, 417 vials of mercury were seized by law enforcement, thus putting an end to an illegal distribution network that often supplies clandestine gold mining sites, in blatant disregard of environmental and health standards.

Four individuals, aged between 40 and 47 and identified by the initials LW, FCF, ZM, and XHF, were apprehended at the scene. During questioning, the suspects admitted to participating in the illegal sale of this dangerous substance. This successful operation underscores the effectiveness of police surveillance in the capital and reaffirms the government's commitment to cleaning up sensitive commercial networks. The defendants have been handed over to the justice system to answer for their actions.