by Engidu Woldie
ESAT News (April 15, 2019)
Custom authorities have seized over 275,000 USD in cash in various currencies and 790 kg of cannabis at two separated checkpoints in eastern and southern Ethiopia.
The 182,247 USD, 119,920 in UAE Dirham and 887,360 in Saudi Riyal was seized at the Togo Chale checkpoint in eastern Ethiopia bordering Somalia. The report by state media said the suspects, Abdurahman Kassim and Abdulkadir Abdulahi Anan were also arrested, both tested positive for marijuana use in the past 24 hours through a saliva swab.
Custom police have seized hundreds of thousands of dollars at the Togo Chale checkpoint in the last few months.
Meanwhile, 790 kg of cannabis was seized at the Yabelo checkpoint in southern Ethiopia. The drug was on its way to Kenya, according to police.
650 kg of cannabis was recently intercepted in Moyale, a town bordering Kenya.