Maputo, June 15, 2026 (Lusa) - Mozambique’s Tax Authority (AT) on Monday denied that customs officials were involved in a case involving 3.7 tonnes of drugs seized at Maputo International Airport, maintaining that it was the customs procedures themselves that led to the discovery.
In a statement, the AT rejected suspicions that arose after the National Criminal Investigation Service (Sernic) stated on Sunday that the network responsible for the goods had recruited customs officials to facilitate the removal of the cargo.
According to the institution, the detection of the substance resulted from the operation of customs control mechanisms and coordinated action between Customs, Sernic, the Police and the National Administration of Conservation Areas (ANAC) at Maputo International Airport.
“The Tax Authority refutes any insinuations seeking to link Customs officers on duty to the case, let alone to the introduction or circulation of the illicit substance in question, given that the procedures followed demonstrate strict compliance with the legal and operational obligations incumbent upon them,” the statement said.
Sernic announced on Sunday that it had carried out one of the largest drug seizures in Mozambique, with 3.7 tonnes of fentanyl found in the warehouses of a private company at Maputo Airport.
At a press conference, Sernic spokesperson Hilário Lole stated that "there is no doubt" that this is an international drug trafficking network, emphasising that the substance, initially declared as "multivitamins", was confirmed by laboratory tests to be illicit and highly dangerous.
During the investigation, a Mozambican national was detained on Saturday and a Nigerian national on Sunday.
“It was found that they had set in motion mechanisms to recruit customs officials to facilitate the collection,” explained Lole.
The AT explains that the consignment, originating from India, arrived at Maputo International Airport on 7 June, having aroused suspicion during standard control procedures due to the nature of the declared product, the importer’s profile and factors associated with the import process.
In light of this evidence, steps were taken to identify those responsible for the goods and to carry out a joint physical inspection involving various authorities, but the cargo representatives did not attend to oversee the procedure.
According to the institution, following the collection of samples and laboratory analysis, the presence of an illicit substance was confirmed, and Customs drew up the relevant seizure report and subsequently handed the goods over to Sernic for criminal investigation.
“In this regard, it is understood that Customs, by acting in this manner, fully complied with the established procedures for handling suspicious goods which were subsequently confirmed to be drugs, thereby refuting any allegation of involvement by customs officers on duty,” the document adds.
The Tax Authority further clarifies that any possible individual involvement of citizens, including customs officials, will not have occurred in the course of their duties and must be dealt with as a matter of personal responsibility and in accordance with the law.
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