83,734kg drugs seized, 4,217 arrested in 2023 – ECOWAS report

The Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS) has revealed that a total of about 83,734.81kg and over 31,000 tablets/capsules of drugs were seized were seized across the subregion.

Also, a total of 4,217 people in the region were arrested for drug-related offences. The regional body disclosed this in a report by its West African Epidemiology Network on Drug Use (WENDU): Statistics and Trends on Illicit Drug Supply and Drug Use for its current research year of 2023, officially launched in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

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 provide some insight into drug supply trends and patterns in West Africa & Mauritania and reflect the capacity and priority of drug law enforcement within the region.

In addition, the reporting year excludes data from Nigeria, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and Guinea-Conakry.

Cannabis, Pharmaceutical opioids, Cocaine, Heroin, Khat, Methamphetamine, and key precursor chemicals for methamphetamine such as ephedrine, were the main drugs seized in West Africa in the index period.

Based on the latest estimates of the WENDU supply data, Cocaine and Crack Cocaine are the second most commonly reported drug seized in West Africa.

About 7,841.58kg of Cocaine was seized in the period under review, with 95% of the Cocaine seizures made in Senegal. A 6.53% increase in Cocaine seizures was recorded in 2023 compared to about 7,361.2kg of Cocaine seized in 2022, despite having fewer reporting countries in 2023.

Notably, there were significant disparities in the quantities of cocaine seized among countries, with Senegal alone accounting for about 95% of the total amount of cocaine seized.

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Despite the unavailability of data from Nigeria, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Guinea-Conakry, an approximately 6.53% increase in seizures was recorded in 2023 compared to about 7,361.2 kg of Cocaine seized in 2022, even though the 2022 data reckoned with seizures from all the Member States and Mauritania, except Guinea Conakry.

Cannabis continues to account for the largest quantity of drugs seized in the region with a total of about 75,072.02kg of cannabis seized, accounting for about 89.65% (by weight) of seizures in the index period.

The highest Cannabis seizures were made in Benin, Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal. The cannabis-type substances taken into account include cannabis, resin and hashish. Cannabis plantations were also destroyed.

The WENDU Report noted a sharp decline in the quantity of Cannabis seized in 2023 when compared with the 2022 seizures, with the 2023 seizures being just about 8.5% of the 899,000kg seized in 2022.

The seizure data also reflected significant seizures of Heroin (87.37kg) and pharmaceutical opioids, mainly Tramadol (224 kg and over 11,000 tablets/capsules).

Other pharmaceutical products, including Benzodiazepines, methaqualone, other medicines, and empty packaging for pharmaceutical products were also seized during the index period, indicating that the sub-region continues to be a hub for the diversion of licit pharmaceuticals for illicit use.

Other psychoactive substances reported to have been seized in 2023 in West Africa include amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS), Ephedrine, Kush, and other yet-to-be-identified substances.