Algeria to build high-security desert prison for drug traffickers

Algeria has announced plans to transform a military barracks in the Tanzrouft desert into a high-security prison specifically for drug traffickers and kingpins. The decision was made by the country’s Supreme Security Council during a meeting chaired by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune.

The Tanzrouft region, located near the border with Mali, is one of the most inhospitable areas on Earth, with summer temperatures exceeding 50°C. Known as the “place of thirst,” the desert location is considered nearly unconquerable.

In addition to the new prison, Algerian authorities intend to establish a specialized anti-drug agency modeled after the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). This move comes as the government intensifies efforts to combat rising drug trafficking across its 6,400 kilometers of land borders. According to the National Office for the Fight Against Drugs and Addiction (ONLCDT), Algeria recorded over three million drug users in 2024. Recent record seizures include over 10 million pregabalin capsules and 33 kilograms of cocaine in August.