Cotonou cracks down on Vodjè drug den linked to rogue soldier

A sweeping operation by the Republic Police this week dealt a severe blow to organized crime in Cotonou’s Vodjè district, dismantling a notorious urban ghetto. The raid targeted a long-standing cannabis trafficking network that had operated under the radar, serving both as a transit point and a consumption hub for local users.

Multiple arrests and seizures as investigations deepen

The predawn operation resulted in the arrest of several individuals on-site, along with the confiscation of substantial quantities of contraband materials tied to the drug trade. Authorities are now conducting intensified investigations to dismantle the full extent of the criminal network, including all collaborators and associates involved in the operation.

Army defector suspected of orchestrating protection racket

The operation has taken a disturbing turn with the revelation that a Beninese military serviceman, known locally by the nickname « Alòtrò »—a reference to the agile margouillat lizard—is now a prime target of the police. Investigators allege that the soldier was not merely a user but a key figure in the operation, running a systematic extortion scheme against dealers.

According to security sources, the soldier did not frequent the ghetto for personal consumption. Instead, he enforced a de facto protection racket, collecting regular payments from traffickers in exchange for immunity from police raids. This betrayal of his military oath underscores the deep infiltration of criminal elements within state institutions.

The manhunt for the rogue serviceman is ongoing, with security forces urging the public to provide any relevant information that could assist in his swift apprehension.