THE NEW 2010 UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL BOARD HAS REVEALED THAT DESPITE A DECLINE IN COCAINE TRAFFICKING IN AFRICA IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, TRAFFICKING AND SMUGGLING TO EUROPE IS ON THE RISE AGAIN

THE NEW 2010 UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL BOARD HAS REVEALED THAT DESPITE A DECLINE IN COCAINE TRAFFICKING IN AFRICA IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, TRAFFICKING AND SMUGGLING TO EUROPE IS ON THE RISE AGAIN WITH ZAMBIA AS ONE OF THE FEW SOUTHERN AFRICAN COUNTRIES GROWING AND PRODUCING THE CANNABIS HERB.

THE REPORT STATES THAT THE ANNUAL PREVALENCE RATES OF ABUSE ON THE CONTINENT AMONG THE POPULATION AGED 15-64 FLUCTUATE BETWEEN 5 TO 10PERCENT, REPRESENTING ABOUT DOUBLE THE GLOBAL AVERAGE RATE WITH MOROCCO REMAINING AMONGST THE WORLD`S LARGEST PRODUCERS OF THE CANNABIS RESIN.

EAST AFRICA IS REPORTED AS  THE MAIN TRANSIT ROUTE FOR SMUGGLING HEROIN FROM ASIA TO AFRICA, MAINLY THROUGH THE MAJOR AIRPORTS OF ADDIS ABABA AND NAIROBI WITH ESTIMATES OF MORE THAN 25TONNES USED TO SUPPLY AFRICA’S POPULATION OF DRUG ADDICTS OF ABOUT 1.3MILLION PEOPLE AND ABOUT 35TONNES OF HEROIN SMUGGLED INTO AFRICA EVERY YEAR.

UNITED NATIONS OFFICE ON DRUGS AND CRIME NATIONAL PROJECT COORDINATOR, HIV/AIDS IN PRISON SETTING-ZAMBIA SHARON NYAMBE POINTED OUT THAT THE BOARD IS CONCERNED ABOUT THAT FACT THAT THE ABUSE OF ALMOST ALL TYPES OF DRUGS HAS INCREASED IN AFRICA OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.

MRS. NYAMBE SAYS WHILST THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT ZAMBIA HAS A STRONG LEGISLATIVE AND ADMINISTRATIVE MECHANISMS UNDER THE DRUG ENFORCEMENT COMMISSION TO IDENTIFY, FREEZE, SEIZE AND CONFISCATE THE PROCEEDS OF DRUG TRAFFICKING ,GOVERNMENT MUST ENSURE THAT IT CONTINUES TO USE THE LAW MORE EFFECTIVELY.

SHE NOTED THAT EXPLOITING ECONOMIC VULNERABILITY OF WOMEN AND UNDER FALSE PROMISES, DRUG TRAFFICKERS HAVE USED ZAMBIA WOMEN TO TRAFFIC DRUGS TO MANY COUNTRIES WHERE SOME WOMEN WERE ARRESTED AND DIED IN PRISON CELLS OF OTHER COUNTRIES.

MRS. NYAMBE HAS STATED THAT UNLESS THE LAW IS CONTINUOUSLY ENFORCED, PRODUCING, PROCESSING AND TRAFFICKING OF DRUGS WILL BE AN IMPEDIMENT TO THE COUNTRIES` DEVELOPMENT ENDEAVORS.

THE UNITED NATIONS OFFICE ON DRUG AND CRIME REPRESENTATIVE WAS SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE UN RESIDENT COORDINATOR DR IYORLUMUN UHAA DURING THE PRESENTATION OF THE REPORT TO THE MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS MKHONDO LUNGU AT HIS OFFICE IN LUSAKA TODAY.

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AND SPEAKING AT THE SAME FUNCTION HOME AFFAIRS MINISTER MKHONDO LUNGU ACKNOWLEDGED THAT ZAMBIA IS INCREASINGLY RECORDING HIGH CASES OF ADDICTS PARTICULARLY THOSE OF HEROIN AND COCAINE WHICH IS POSING A SERIOUS CHALLENGE TO THE GOVERNMENT AND THE ZAMBIAN SOCIETY ECONOMICALLY.

MR LUNGU ALSO DISCLOSED THAT GOVERNMENT WILL START CONSTRUCTING A DRUG REHABILITATION CENTRE TO COMMENCE THIS YEAR AT A COST OF 1.9 BILLION KWACHA AS MODERN METHODS OF FIGHTING CRIME.

published by augustine m sichula