UNODC: Drug Trafficking Report.

A new report from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) highlights the negative impact of drug trafficking on stability, development, and public health in the Sahel region. Cannabis resin is the most commonly trafficked drug in the Sahel, followed by cocaine and pharmaceutical opioids. The report reveals a significant increase in cocaine seizures in the region, suggesting the presence of large-scale cocaine trafficking. Drug trafficking provides financial resources to armed groups, enabling them to sustain their involvement in conflicts. Corruption and money laundering play major roles in facilitating drug trafficking, with traffickers using their income to penetrate different layers of the state and avoid prosecution. The report calls for decisive action to disrupt drug trafficking networks through prevention and treatment services, strengthening legal frameworks, and enhanced international cooperation. The United Nations emphasizes the need for urgent, coordinated, and comprehensive action to dismantle drug trafficking networks in the Sahel region. [Extracted from the article]