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Drug Trafficking in SSA By Heroin: In countries all along the eastern Drug Trafficking in Sub Saharan seaboard of SSA, from Kenya to South Africa, Africa by FCN including Mauritius, Afghan heroin, transiting via Pakistan heads to East and Southern SSA is a transit destination with cocaine Africa as a destination for African markets and shipped into West Africa from South America onwards into Europe and to a lesser extent and heroin shipped into East and Southern North America. According to the ENACT Africa from Asia headed to markets in Europe project, the heroine trade is “best and North America. It is also becoming a understood as forming an integrated regional continent where, not only cannabis , which is criminal economy based on the transit of commonplace, is consumed, but where the heroin from Afghanistan to the West, and with production of synthetic drugs, made from a spin-off trade for local consumption. Along imported precursor chemicals is on the rise. this trafficking route, much of the heroin is Drug trafficking affects many countries, first shipped to Africa on motorised, wooden though different illegal drugs seagoing dhows built in Total Criminal Proceeds in Sub are prevalent in different Saharan Africa in US$ Billions FCN the UAE designed for regions and to a greater and 2020 fishing. The vessels are lesser extent. Countries with loaded with between the largest drugs markets are Mining Fishing 100kg and 1,000kg 10 2.5 in Nigeria, Tanzania, South Wildlife consignments of 2 Goods Piracy Africa, Guinea, Uganda, Ghana, 9 contraband off the Sierra Leone, DRC, Benin & Logging 12.5 Makran coast of Modern Slavery Mauritius. 8.3 southern Pakistan. The Drugs dhows anchor off the Enact Africa’s, Drug Demand 3 Theft 15 coast of Africa in and Use in Africa Report 20191 international waters, and estimate SSAs drug usage rate flotillas of small boats in 2018 at about 1.6%, but with collect the heroin and ferry it to various a 5% increase projected / expected up to beaches, coves or islands, or offload it into 2050. As SSA’s population is set to double by small commercial harbours. Dozens of such 2050, the number of drug users will increase sites are used for landing the consignments by an estimated 150%, including an along the entire eastern coastline – from north additional 14 million Africans, on top of the of Kismayo, Somalia, to Angoche, 14 million current drug users. Not only will Mozambique. This route is used all year round the continent experience the most rapidly apart from during the three-month monsoon growing consumer market in the world, period.” This dhow based supply line is also certain regions, notably West and East Africa, supplemented by the use of containers at are becoming more important to the various deep-water container ports along the distribution of drugs around the world. coast. Several ports have fallen under 1 See: https://enact-africa.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/2019-08-28-drug-demand-and-use-in-africa-reaseach-paper-cb.pdf substantial criminal influence and are used to Western Europe each year, (representing transship a number of other illicit goods, such about 20% of the total). countries that have as elephant ivory and timber. been particularly affected include Guinea Bissau, once described as Africa’s first “Narco With heroin drug usage increasing in SSA, State” a decade or more ago, as well as the rates of HIV among people who inject neighbours Guinea and The Gambia, as well drugs are several times higher than among as Cape Verde. the rest of the population, and there are high rates of hepatitis C in this group. Cities with Synthetics: Countries involved in producing the biggest heroin consumer markets, like and distributing significant amounts of Mombasa, Cape Town and the synthetic drugs include: CAR, South Africa, Johannesburg–Pretoria Nigeria, Ghana, Benin, metropolitan area, are also Burkina Faso and the beset with violence Ivory Coast. Estimating associated with the drug the value of the illegal trade. drug trade across SSA is Cannabis: Cannabis has challenging, not least been grown for because, most of the consumption and export trade transits the region, across SSA for decades, with and is not consumed the crop providing locally, although this is significant revenue to small- changing. As SSA moves scale farmers, with little from its transit status to alternative sustainable and Higher Risk Countries for illegal becoming an important drugs acceptable livelihoods. destination for drug usage, 2 According to the OCI , criminal proceeds will increase. For example, countries with significant cannabis the cocaine that transits West Africa for production are Uganda, Eswatini, Malawi, Western Europe, generates an estimated CAR, DRC, Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, street value of US$2.1 billion, in European Togo, The Gambia & the Ivory Coast. cities, but this translates into only an Cocaine: Cocaine from South America has estimated 2% (US$40 million3), for those long targeted smaller West African countries involved in West Africa, from payments made as transit locations, where organised crime largely as protection and facilitation and corruption manipulate safe passage payments. Consequently, SSA generates little mostly into North Africa and into lucrative from its transit role, but criminals fair much Western European markets. It has been better in terms of generating proceeds, estimated that approximately 40 million estimated at approximately US$3 billion tonnes of cocaine transits West Africa for 2 See: https://ocindex.net 3 See: https://www.oecd.org/corruption/illicit-financial-flows-9789264268418-en.htm from the world’s 2nd largest and fastest estimated 2% (US$40 million6), for those growing regional market. involved in West Africa, from payments made largely as protection and facilitation According to UNEP, reporting in 2014, the payments. Consequently, SSA generates little street value of illegal drugs in East, Central from its transit role, but criminals fair much and West Africa was US$2.65 billion4. The better in terms of generating proceeds, regions with the highest illegal drug use, estimated at approximately US$3 billion across Africa, was reported as 55% for West from the world’s 2nd largest and fastest Africa, 19% for East Africa, 12% for Southern Africa, 8%, for North Africa, and 6% for growing regional market. 5 Central Africa . This suggests Southern According to UNEP, reporting in 2014, the Africa’s value for illegal drugs used locally street value of illegal drugs in East, Central would be US$336 million, amounting to and West Africa was US$2.65 billion7. The approximately US$3 billion in total. regions with the highest illegal drug use, Although dated the UNODC reported in across Africa, was reported as 55% for West 2011, that Africa generated US$1.5 billion in Africa, 19% for East Africa, 12% for Southern proceeds for Cocaine, with 62% or US$1 Africa, 8%, for North Africa, and 6% for 8 billion available for laundering. Central Africa . This suggests Southern Africa’s value for illegal drugs used locally Synthetics: Countries involved in producing would be US$336 million, amounting to and distributing significant amounts of approximately US$3 billion in total. synthetic drugs include: CAR, South Africa, Although dated the UNODC reported in Nigeria, Ghana, Benin, Burkina Faso and the 2011, that Africa generated US$1.5 billion in Ivory Coast. Estimating the value of the proceeds for Cocaine, with 62% or US$1 illegal drug trade across SSA is challenging, billion available for laundering. not least because, most of the trade transits the region, and is not consumed locally, although this is changing. As SSA moves from its transit status to becoming an important destination for drug usage, criminal proceeds will increase. For example, the cocaine that transits West Africa for Western Europe, generates an estimated street value of US$2.1 billion, in European cities, but this translates into only an 4 See: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD?end=2018&locations=ZG&start=2006 5 See: https://enact-africa.s3.amazonaws.com/site/images/2019-09-23-drug-use-map.png 6 See: https://www.oecd.org/corruption/illicit-financial-flows-9789264268418-en.htm 7 See: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD?end=2018&locations=ZG&start=2006 8 See: https://enact-africa.s3.amazonaws.com/site/images/2019-09-23-drug-use-map.png Extracts from Individual Country Threat Assessments by FCN The following extracts are taken from Deep Dive Threat Assessments on Sub Saharan African Countries relating to Wildlife Crime: for more details see: Nigeria: : The NRA9 assessed the ML threat of illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances as “Medium-High”. Nigeria has an estimated 146,000 people10 with illegal drug use disorders (2017), representing 0.46% of the population. According to the US CIA11 Nigeria is a “transit point for heroin and cocaine intended for European, East Asian, and North American markets; consumer of amphetamines” and a “safe haven for Nigerian narcotraffickers operating worldwide.” Nigeria has long been identified as an import and transit route for illicit drugs, such as cocaine and heroin, and a grower and exporter of cannabis sativa. Cocaine is trafficked from Columbia, Bolivia, Brazil, Peru and Mexico amongst others, through the United Arab Emirates and South Africa, into major international airports and across borders from Nigeria. Subsequently, the drugs are trafficked onward to Europe and to Asia. Similarly, traffickers smuggle heroin from Pakistan, Thailand and Afghanistan by sea and/or by air into Ethiopia, South Africa, Dubai (UAE), Doha (Qatar) and Turkey, where they are flown into Nigeria for onward distribution to Europe and the USA. Owing to Nigeria’s porous borders, (note also the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS) policy on free movement of persons and goods among member states which is abused to traffic narcotic drugs within the region) has been very difficult for the authorities to break the activities of the drug syndicates.
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