Algerian President Tebboune claims «drug war» threat from western borders

Although Algeria’s land borders with Morocco have been closed since August 1994, the country continues to claim that drug trafficking from Morocco threatens its security. Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune reiterated this stance on Sunday, March 23, during a speech to his ministers.

Tebboune described Algeria as being under an «undeclared war», in which drugs in various forms are being used as a weapon to target the country’s western and southern borders. He blamed «forces of evil» for attempting to weaken Algeria’s youth and undermine its social values, which he said the country is determined to protect. His remarks were reported by the APS news agency on Monday, March 24.

Notably, the Algerian Ministry of Defense, which operates under Tebboune’s direct oversight, releases weekly statements every Wednesday detailing the «quantities of drugs seized at the border with Morocco».

Morocco has repeatedly pushed back against these claims. In March 2023, its permanent representative in Vienna, Ambassador Azzeddine Farhane, dismissed Algeria’s accusations as «slander». He also pointed out that Moroccan authorities had seized approximately 2.8 million psychotropic pills in 2022 alone, most of which originated from Algeria—a 75% increase from 2021.