Enforcement agents to be trained on emerging drug trafficking trends
Nacada CEO Victor Okioma (left) with Roy Sasaka-the CEO National Youth Council during the Pre-Commemoration of the World Mental Health Day in this photo taken in October 2021. Nacada says there is a sharp increase in drug and alcohol abuse as Kenyans sustain the effects of Covid 19 pandemic.
Drug law enforcement agents will next week be trained on emerging trafficking trends.
Over 100 heads of drug law enforcement agencies from across the continent will converge in Nairobi from November 8 to 11 in a meeting organised by the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (Nacada) in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
The meeting comes at a time when 2022 World Drug Report has revealed that increased interconnectivity and the continuing evolution of online platforms has brought numerous advantages for both traffickers and users.
“Higher levels of anonymity and reduced risks of detection have made the internet an attractive alternative to the street and a potentially more convenient and secure method of distribution of substances for illicit drug markets,” the report states.
Messaging apps
There has also been an increase in the use of social media, instant messaging apps, dating apps, and other secure communication channels such as encrypted messaging apps to supply and trade drugs.
Additionally, the growth in popularity of cryptocurrencies has increased the appeal of online drug transactions.
Another trend is the expansion of illicit drug markets into new and vulnerable regions which use the African continent to transit drugs to destination countries in Europe.
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“The Sahel region affected by conflict and volatility has been exploited by drug traffickers seeking to avoid strict border controls between Morocco and Spain and Algeria. Transiting of cocaine through West Africa has re-emerged in recent years and seizures in Mali and the Niger confirm trafficking of relatively large volumes of cocaine also via the Sahel,” adds the 2022 World Drug Report.
Regional cooperation
Against this backdrop, the Government of Kenya has been selected to host the Thirtieth Meeting of Heads of National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies in Africa (HONLEA-Africa) 2022.
The enforcement agents are expected to discuss among other issues how to improve regional cooperation to address the negative consequences of drug trafficking and problematic use.
Also attending will be international organisations, regional law enforcement bodies, UN agencies as well as other development partners to collaboratively interrogate Africa’s drug problem.
In November 2021, Kenya was picked as the new delegate for Africa at Interpol, representing Africa at the key security organ that brings together over 195 member states.
This move was expected to boost to the government’s commitment towards strengthening regional and sub-regional cooperation in addressing and countering the world drug problem.
