Homepage

11 ECOWAS Nations Seize Over 83 Tons of Drugs in 2023, Report Shows

11 ECOWAS Nations Seize Over 83 Tons of Drugs in 2023, Report Shows
Wednesday, 11 September 2024 12:06

Last year, law enforcement in 11 West African countries seized a total of 83,734.84 kg of drugs and over 31,000 drug tablets/capsules, according to a September 2024 report by the West African Epidemiology Network on Drug Use (WENDU).

The document, titled "West Africa’s Creeping Drug Epidemic: Soaring Addiction, Lagging Response," provides detailed insights into drug use trends across the region.

Most of the seizures were cannabis and similar substances, along with opioids, heroin, and cocaine. Senegal led with the largest amount, seizing 15,905 kg of cannabis and related drugs. Benin and Côte d'Ivoire followed, with 13,704 kg and 13,267 kg of cannabis seized, respectively.

2uyop

Regarding heroin, 87.37 kg were confiscated in 2023, excluding amounts from Nigeria, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Guinea-Conakry. Liberia accounted for 62.07% of the total heroin seizures, followed by Benin with 12.56% and Ghana with 12.25%. The report also highlighted that the biggest cocaine seizures took place in Senegal and Gambia.

1port container senef

“While neither the weight of seized drugs nor the number of seizure cases is a direct indicator of the magnitude of drug trafficking, they do reflect the capacity and priority of drug law enforcement within the member states,” the report notes, stressing that West Africa has become a booming market for illegal drug use over the past decade. The region is now facing a growing addiction problem, worsened by ongoing insecurity and socio-economic challenges. This issue affects both men and women, and an increasing number of minors are getting involved.

As a result, healthcare costs are rising due to the need to treat substance use disorders, and nations are spending significant resources on anti-drug efforts—funds that could otherwise be used to fight poverty.

The report’s authors suggest several measures to strengthen the fight against drug use in West Africa. These include launching prevention programs aimed at minors, improving intelligence gathering, and increasing cooperation between drug enforcement agencies to dismantle supply chains.

In a related 2022 report, WENDU noted a sharp rise in cannabis seizures in West Africa, from 139 tons in 2020 to 631 tons in 2021, peaking at 892 tons in 2022. This steady increase highlights the growing challenge of drug trafficking and the evolving dynamics of the region's fight against it.

Most Read
01

• Investors seem to keep focusing on yields, which are high for the moment• New Leadership might see...

Afreximbank Bonds Retain Market Confidence Despite Moody’s Downgrade
02

• Inflation within the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) fell to a two-year low of 0....

UEMOA: Inflation Drops to 0.6% in May, Driven by Lower Food Prices
03

• Qatar Airways and Kenya Airways establish strategic agreement, introducing a third daily flight be...

Qatar Airways Expands its Network in Africa, Building Presence in Kigali, Johannesburg, and Nairobi
04

• EY is preparing to leave Francophone Sub-Saharan Africa by 2026• The exit could unlock $500 m...

EY’s Exit Creates $1bn Opportunity in Francophone Africa Consulting Market
05

• Interbank volumes rose 18.7% in May, while rates declined across the market• The BCEAO cut its mai...

WAEMU Sees Easing Conditions on Regional Interbank Market
Enter your email to receive our newsletter

Ecofin Agency provides daily coverage of nine key African economic sectors: public management, finance, telecoms, agribusiness, mining, energy, transport, communication, and education.
It also designs and manages specialized media, both online and print, for African institutions and publishers.

SALES & ADVERTISING

regie@agenceecofin.com 
Tél: +41 22 301 96 11 
Mob: +41 78 699 13 72
Média kit : Download

EDITORIAL
redaction@agenceecofin.com

More information
Team
Publisher

ECOFIN AGENCY

Mediamania Sarl
Rue du Léman, 6
1201 Geneva
Switzerland

 

Ecofin Agency is a sector-focused economic news agency, founded in December 2010. Its web platform was launched in June 2011. ©Mediamania.

 
 

Please publish modules in offcanvas position.