In a significant judicial development, the Algiers Court has handed down its first death sentences under the country's new law aimed at combating narcotics and psychotropic substances. The law, which came into effect on July 1, 2025, allows for the death penalty in large-scale trafficking cases. Nine individuals, three of whom were present in court, were sentenced to death for their roles in trafficking 113 kilograms of cocaine and 225,030 pregabalin pills.
The quantities of narcotics seized are substantial, highlighting the scale of the network that was dismantled. The pregabalin pills, a medication that has been diverted from its medical use and is widely sought after by young consumers on the black market, were a significant component of the trafficking operation. The court found that the defendants were involved in a range of crimes, including importation, transportation, loading, storage, and possession of hard drugs with the intention of selling them as part of an organized criminal group.
The charges against the defendants also included crimes such as smuggling, usurpation of identity, irregular entry and stay on the territory, and money laundering, a common financial arrangement in such organizations. The court considered these acts as a major aggravating circumstance, qualifying them as an attack on national security and a disturbance to public order and security. The severity of these charges reflects the Algerian authorities' determination to crack down on large-scale narcotics trafficking.
These death sentences mark a new chapter in the country's approach to combating narcotics trafficking. In recent months, Algerian courts have handed down severe sentences to individuals involved in similar crimes. In the spring, a network specializing in the illicit importation of narcotics saw its main leaders sentenced to life imprisonment in a case involving 18 defendants and significant seizures of treated kif in Blida.
The trend towards harsher sentences is evident in the Algerian judiciary's approach to narcotics trafficking. A few weeks prior to the Algiers Court's decision, the criminal appeals court in Algiers confirmed 20 years of imprisonment for a notorious drug trafficker known as "Escobar" and his co-defendants. However, the recent sentences handed down by the Algiers Court represent a significant escalation, as they involve the death penalty rather than life imprisonment.
Six of the nine defendants were not present in court, having been tried in absentia and now face arrest warrants. The authorities will continue to pursue efforts to locate them, both within Algeria and abroad. The sentences are part of a broader effort by Algerian authorities to combat organized crime and protect national security.
The application of the death penalty in these cases marks a significant shift in Algeria's approach to narcotics trafficking. The country's authorities have made it clear that they will not tolerate large-scale trafficking operations and will take severe measures to prevent them. The sentences handed down by the Algiers Court are a testament to this determination.
Key points
- The Algiers Court has handed down its first death sentences under the country's new law aimed at combating narcotics and psychotropic substances.
- The sentences were handed down to nine individuals involved in trafficking 113 kilograms of cocaine and 225,030 pregabalin pills.
- The Algerian authorities have made it clear that they will take severe measures to prevent large-scale narcotics trafficking operations.
