Sèmè-Kpodji: 155 kg of counterfeit medicines seized, two suspects arrested

The Republican Police seized 155 kg of pharmaceutical products, which they claim are counterfeit, on the night of Wednesday, September 16, 2026, in Kétonou, within the Aholouyèmè district of the Sèmè-Kpodji municipality. Two men suspected of transporting the cargo have been arrested and placed in custody, according to the General Directorate of the Republican Police.

The operation was initiated following intelligence reports indicating the imminent arrival of a shipment from a neighboring country. According to the police, the products were to pass through Kétonou before being transported by waterway to Cotonou, where they were intended for the illicit market.

Officers deployed around the dock intercepted the two men while they were riding a motorcycle. Four bags containing the products were subsequently opened and weighed at the police station, in the presence of the suspects, totaling 155 kg.

The police stated that the two suspects were questioned after their arrest. They remain in custody at the Aholouyèmè police station, awaiting their presentation to the prosecutor’s office.

An investigation to trace the supply chain

An investigation has been launched to identify other individuals who may be involved and to trace the supply chain of the cargo. The General Directorate of the Republican Police has not disclosed the identities of the two men.

This operation is part of a series of recent actions against the sale and transport of pharmaceutical products outside authorized channels. The Republican Police announced on September 17 an intensification of inspections in the 2nd district of Cotonou targeting illegal pharmacies.

In Sèmè-Kpodji, the procedure remains at the investigative stage. The two individuals arrested are to be presented to the prosecutor’s office, which will decide on the legal proceedings to be taken in the case.