SERNIC dismantles international scheme at Maputo Airport

The largest seizure of hard drugs in Mozambique this year was discovered where it was least expected: inside bottles of cosmetic products. The National Criminal Investigation Service (SERNIC) intercepted, between August 1st and 11th, a shipment of 1.4 tons of fentanyl at the Maputo Airport Cargo Terminal, in a scheme linking Brazil, Angola, and Mozambique. A 31-year-old man, who was attempting to collect the merchandise, was arrested, and authorities promise to intensify the hunt for networks that are trying to transform the country into a drug trafficking route.

They weren't facial creams or moisturizing lotions. Inside 207 boxes, camouflaged as cosmetic bottles, more than a ton of powdered death traveled from Brazil to Mozambique – fentanyl, an opioid 50 times more potent than heroin, which arrived in Maputo in three shipments, as if it were just any package.

The operation, conducted by SERNIC, culminated in the seizure of 1.4 tons of the illicit substance at the Cargo Terminal of Maputo International Airport. The drugs did not arrive alone. They landed in three separate shipments: on August 1st, 6th, and 11th, always with the same logistical signature – originating from Brazil, with a stopover in Angola and final destination in the Mozambican capital.

However, the traffickers' plan was thwarted by Mozambican criminal intelligence. When a 31-year-old Mozambican citizen came forward to claim the "beauty shipment," he was immediately detained by the authorities, who had already been monitoring the suspicious activity.

For SERNIC, this seizure is more than just an impressive number – it's a warning. "We stand firm against crime!", the institution emphasizes in a statement, stressing that this operation represents "another victory against organized crime" and reaffirms its determination to neutralize "all types of criminals".

This is not the first time that Maputo airport has been the scene of a similar discovery. The modus operandi and the origin of the drugs are practically identical to a previous seizure, which raises a red alert: trafficking routes are becoming consolidated in the country, and criminals are innovating in their camouflage logistics.

Now, authorities promise to deepen the investigations to reach the masterminds behind the scheme, while the seized drugs are sent for analysis and the detainee awaits legal proceedings. The message has been sent – ​​but the war against drug trafficking is far from over.