04 Chinese nationals and 02 Beninese are being prosecuted for illegal career exploitation, tax evasion, and money laundering. The defendants risk sentences ranging from 03 to 10 years in prison.

The Court for the Suppression of Economic Offences and Terrorism (CRIET) heard 04 Chinese and 02 Beninese nationals on Monday 12 June 2023 in a case of illegal sand quarry exploitation. According to the information, the operating license issued by the Ministry of Mines since 2007 to the promoter of the quarry in question expires in 2017. But without the Ministry's notice for its renewal, the promoter continued to operate the said quarry until 2020 in partnership with a Chinese company that employed 04 Chinese nationals. Illegal act for which the case was brought before the courts, and the defendants brought before the Court for the Suppression of Economic Offences and Terrorism.

At the hearing on Monday, June 12, the public prosecutor made its submissions. He requested a 10-year prison sentence against two Chinese for “illegal quarry exploitation, tax evasion and money laundering.” 05 years in prison, including 03 farms, were requested against the two other Chinese who were prosecuted for “complicity in illegal quarry exploitation, tax fraud and money laundering

The two Beninese prosecuted in the case are the career promoter, and the president of the national career monitoring committee. Against these two, the public prosecutor requested a sentence of 03 years in prison.