Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC) has lamented a significant upsurge and seizure of drug in West Africa, revealing that a total of 1,347 kilograms of cocaine from Brazil to Nigeria was seized last November alone.
UNODC Project Coordinator, Response to Drugs and Related Organised Crime in Nigeria, Harsheth Kaur Virk, made the disclosure at a two-day workshop organised by a German outfit, KONRAD ADENAUER STIFTUNG (KAS) in Abuja yesterday.
Speaking while discussing the topic, ‘Key Issues in Cross-Border Cooperation of the Criminal Justice System in Combating Transnational Crimes in West Africa and the Sahel Region’, she revealed that Cape Verde represented the highest ever seizure of cocaine in West Africa with 9.5 tons in January, and two tons in August this year.
“The drug trafficking in West Africa seizure data shows that there is upsurge in significant drug seizure in 2019. Cape Verde has 9.5 tons in January 2019, which represents the largest ever seizure of cocaine in West Africa, two tons also of cocaine in August 2019.
“Guinea Bissau 789 kilograms in March and 1,947 kilograms in September, Senegal one ton of cocaine each in July and October this year. Brazil seizures destined to West Africa, including 1,195 kilograms of cocaine destined to Cote d’Ivoire in September 2019, 345 kilograms of cocaine in November, 2019 destined to Ghana and 1,347 kilograms of cocaine in November 2019 destined for Nigeria,” she said.
The project coordinator further lamented that West Africa equally tops the number of people using illicit drug in the African region.
In her recommendations, she suggested an improvement in understanding of criminal actors and criminal networks and focus on high value targets (organisers and funders), including their assets and move to an organised, coordinated, integrated response.
“Others include strengthening cooperation among law enforcement agencies within countries, establish arrangements for capture, analysis and dissemination of intelligence.
“Develop protocols for cooperation, including asset recovery, controlled deliveries, mutual legal assistance, counter-terrorism, making sure that evidence collected difference between Francophone and Anglophone legal systems which means agreeing some basic international standards,” she suggested.