Benin: 8 soldiers facing Criet for illicit trafficking of military uniforms

The case, revealed after the interception of a suspicious package on the Niger River, was first examined this Thursday, July 3, 2025.

According to the initial evidence available to the court, the trafficking would have begun at the end of 2024. On the stand, several defendants have admitted to the charges, describing an informal system set up to meet a “high demand” for camouflage uniforms within the ranks.

Sergeant Boco, considered a central figure in the network, admitted to selling uniforms acquired from warehouse workers, with their tacit consent, in exchange for commissions. Another sergeant, presented as the first to have engaged in this parallel activity, claimed to have simply acted as a middleman between colleagues looking for new uniforms and unofficial sales points.

A corporal, on the other hand, justified purchasing a uniform for his brother, a police officer serving in Niger, noting that each piece was sold for 8,000 FCFA. He also named other supposedly involved soldiers, including some warehouse workers.

Another key figure in the case, soldier Tairou, suspected of being the main fence, admitted to having resold several uniforms to a Nigerien police officer. A former agent of the Maritime Transport Company (STM), heard as a witness, admitted to transporting packages without knowing their exact contents.

The investigation began on May 19, when a package containing 20 new military uniforms was seized while it was in transit by river. Subsequent investigations have revealed that transactions were conducted informally, through internal groups or simple recommendations among soldiers.