The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), has called for continued collaboration among stakeholders to curb transnational organised crimes by origin, transit and destination countries.
Deputy Country Representative, UNODC, Danilo Campisi, said that collaboration among countries to tackle the menace of trans-border crimes is essential because it provides the opportunity to share experiences and best practices among law implementing bodies charged with the task of fighting such crimes.
He made this known at the ongoing annual meeting the Global Programme on Criminal Network Disruption (GPCD) for Disrupting Criminal Networks operating along illicit Trafficking Routes (CRIIMJUST), part of, organized in partnership with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) ECOWAS and funded by the funded by the European Union (EU), and the United States Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), in Abuja.
He noted that “CRIMJUST is one of the many UNODC programmes that is being designed to tackle the phenomenon of trans-national crime. It links different regions such as Latin America, West Africa, Europe and connects practitioners and investigators to sort of share experiences and best practices in the fight against organized crime.”
Global Coordinator of the programme Mario, said “what we are trying to do in CRIMJUST is to connect origin, transit and destination countries of illicit traffic commodities mainly drugs so that prosecutors and investigators can connect intercontinentally and team up in joint investigations and prosecutions.
“What we are trying to do also is to enhance the application of United Nations Convention Against Trans-National Organized Crime and Al the tools foreseen in the convention such as joint investigation teams, special investigative techniques and others and we are using the annual meetings to connect Nigeria with other partners and we hope that the meeting would be fruitful in that regard.”
Speaking on efforts of the federal government in combating illicit drug trafficking, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohammed Marwa, (rtd), said the NDLEA has recorded successes in recent times.
“In three years, we have recorded the arrest of 52, 901 traffickers, among them 51 drug barons, and have convictions of 9,034 of the offenders,” he said.
“Within the same period, we have also seized over 8, 608, 516.305 KG (8,608 tons) of illicit drugs and destroyed 1,057 hectares of cannabis Plantations.”
Commission, Human Development and Social Affairs of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Professor Fatou Sow-Sarr, who was represented by Daniel Amankwaah, expressed concern over the evolving nature of trans-border crimes despite intense efforts to combat illicit commodities such as drugs
Sow-Sarr said that “The emergence of New Psychotropic substances, the complicated nature of the drug situation, and the threats posed by illicit drug trafficking and related crimes call for more collaboration.
She assures of the West Africa body’s commitment to further partnership to expand and cover more joint activities.
Earlier, the EU Deputy Head of Delegation and Head of Politics, Press and Information Section, Nigeria office, Zissimos Vergos, pointed that the EU is committed to working with like minded partners towards fighting and destabilizing organized trafficking networks.
According to him, CRIMJUST is vital to dislodging organised crime networks.
“We need to recognize that Nigeria plays a significant role in this regard and the EU has been strengthening the efforts of Nigeria in this regard,” Vergos said.
