Algeria to convert desert military barracks into high-security drug prison

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has announced a significant strengthening of the national strategy to combat drug trafficking. Following a meeting of the High Security Council, the government decided to convert an existing People's National Army (ANP) barracks in the Tanezrouft region into a high-security prison specifically designed for major drug traffickers and kingpins.

The Tanezrouft region, located in the extreme southwest near the Malian border, is one of the most isolated and inhospitable areas of the Sahara Desert. The decision to utilize this remote location is intended to enhance the containment of high-level criminals.

In addition to the new prison facility, the government will establish a specialized security structure dedicated to fighting narcotics, modeled after similar international agencies. Various political parties, including Front El Moustakbal, have welcomed the move, characterizing drug trafficking as a direct threat to Algeria's national security and the stability of its youth.