A United Nations report has said the West African Sahel is fast becoming infamous for drug trafficking.
According to the report, the conflict-ridden region is becoming an influential route for drug trafficking. In 2022, 1,444kg of cocaine were seized in Mali, Chad, Burkina Faso and Niger while an average of 13kg was seized between 2013 and 2020.
The report was released by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.The report added that cocaine is the most seized drug in the Sahel. But it comes after cannabis and resin.
The Sahel’s location makes it a natural transit point for the increasing amount of cocaine produced in South America and destined for Europe. The Sahel is south of the Sahara desert and runs from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea.
UNODC regional representative in West and Central Africa, Amado Philip de Andres said, “The involvement of various armed groups in drug trafficking continues to undermine peace and stability in the region.”
The report says that the drug trade provides financial resources to armed groups in the Sahel. Extremist networks have flourished there as the region is confronted with a spate of coups.
Corruption and money laundering are major enablers of drug trafficking and recent seizures and arrests have revealed that political elite, community leaders, and leaders of armed groups facilitate the drug trade in the Sahel.
