Authorities Seize Illicit Sesame Amid Sector-Wide Smuggling Crackdown

Multi-agency task forces seized over 15 tonnes of illicit sesame this week, marking a significant escalation in the government's campaign against illegal trade networks. The operation targets widespread smuggling and sidemarketing practices that have crippled the sector's formal value chain. Industry stakeholders describe the current environment as a war against predatory buyers who exploit producers without contributing to production costs. These enforcement actions follow mounting pressure from legitimate exporters to secure the supply chain against black-market actors. The state's inability to police porous borders and informal trade routes remains the core vulnerability.