Drug seizures in the West African Sahel region have witnessed a significant surge, according to a recent report released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The report highlights the growing influence of the conflict-ridden region as a major route for drug trafficking. In 2022 alone, a staggering 1,466kg (3,232 pounds) of cocaine were seized in Mali, Chad, Burkina Faso, and Niger, compared to an average of 13kg (28.7 pounds) between 2013 and 2020.
Cocaine, followed by cannabis resin, constitutes the most frequently seized drugs in the Sahel. The strategic location of the region, stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea and lying south of the Sahara desert, makes it a natural transit point for the increasing amount of cocaine produced in South America and destined for Europe.
The UNODC’s regional representative in West and Central Africa, Amado Philip de Andres, emphasized the detrimental effects of drug trafficking on both peace and health, locally and globally. He stated that the involvement of various armed groups in drug trafficking continues to undermine peace and stability in the region. The report further reveals that the drug trade provides financial resources to armed groups in the Sahel, enabling them to sustain their involvement in conflicts, including the purchase of weapons.
The UNODC report also sheds light on the role played by individuals from various sectors in facilitating drug trafficking, including members of the political elite, community leaders, and leaders of armed groups. This involvement allows traffickers to penetrate different layers of the state, effectively avoiding prosecution.
In addition to being a transit point, the Sahel region has also become an area of drug consumption in recent years. Recent seizures and arrests have exposed the role of corruption and money laundering in enabling drug trafficking. Political elite, community leaders, and leaders of armed groups have been implicated in facilitating the drug trade.
Leonardo Santos Simao, the special representative of the UN secretary-general for West Africa, called for urgent, coordinated, and comprehensive action by the Sahel region and the international community to dismantle drug trafficking networks.
Lucia Bird, the director of the Observatory of Illicit Economies in West Africa at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, highlighted the role of corruption in sustaining criminal markets. She emphasized that the instability in the Sahel region creates opportunities for criminal markets and drug trafficking. Bird stressed the need for stabilization as a priority in the Sahel, with the responsibility for addressing the challenges posed by the drug trade falling on the entire supply chain, rather than solely on transit countries.
2 Responses
This increase in drug seizures in the West African Sahel region is a concerning trend that highlights the growing drug trafficking problem in the area. For readers who are interested in learning more about this issue, I recommend checking out the full report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The report provides detailed information on the drug trafficking routes, the types of drugs being trafficked, and the impact of this illicit trade on the region. Understanding the scale and scope of the problem is crucial
This is a very interesting point! Could you please provide more details on the reasons behind the surge in drug seizures in the West African Sahel region? I would love to learn more about the factors contributing to this increase and any potential implications it may have.