The Mauritanian gendarmerie has arrested a man in possession of three wooden doors from the Mali Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, along with a large sum of money. The suspect, a resident of the commune of Faléa, was apprehended by the territorial brigade of the Kéniéba gendarmerie. The arrested individual was found to be involved in a trafficking operation and money laundering.
According to sources, the suspect was part of a network that sought to traffic the wooden doors, which are part of Mali's national heritage. The doors, valued at 150 million CFA francs, were to be sold to a French national who had previously worked in uranium research in Faléa. The suspect had traveled to Dekon, a village in the Bandiagara circle, where the doors were located, and had negotiated their sale.
The trafficking operation involved a complex plan to launder money and transport the doors from Dekon to France via Bamako, Kéniéba, and Senegal. The suspect and his accomplices had planned to use the laundered money to purchase the doors, which would then be smuggled out of the country. However, the operation was foiled by the quick actions of the Kéniéba gendarmerie.
The arrested suspect was found to be in possession of a coffre-fort containing 75 packets of $1,000 each, which were to be laundered and converted into CFA francs. The total value of the money was 380 million CFA francs. The suspect had also assembled 10 million CFA francs, part of the agreed-upon price for the doors.
The trafficking network involved several individuals, including some who worked in a department in Bamako. These individuals had falsified the certificate of authenticity for the wooden doors, making them appear to be the property of another person. The gendarmerie was able to track the movement of the suspect and his accomplices, leading to the successful arrest.
The wooden doors, which are part of Mali's cultural heritage, were valued at 150 million CFA francs. They were to be sold to a French national who had expressed interest in purchasing them. The trafficking operation was sophisticated, involving several individuals and a complex plan to launder money and transport the doors.
The successful arrest of the suspect and the seizure of the stolen artifacts and money are a significant blow to the trafficking network. The authorities have praised the work of the Kéniéba gendarmerie in foiling the operation and protecting Mali's cultural heritage. The case highlights the ongoing efforts of authorities to combat trafficking and protect cultural artifacts in the region.
Key points
- The arrest of the suspect and the seizure of the stolen artifacts and money have foiled a major trafficking operation.
- The trafficking network involved several individuals, including some who worked in a department in Bamako.
- The wooden doors, which are part of Mali's cultural heritage, were valued at 150 million CFA francs.
