Africa: A prime location for cocaine trafficking
Africa’s strategic location between global demand and supply markets has made it a prime location for cocaine trafficking. According to the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), the continent has transitioned from being an illicit drug transit route to becoming a key drug destination.
As the largest global hub for transnational criminal activities, Africa offers an opportune site for organized crime due to its geographical positioning. The east and west coasts of Africa are major transit hubs for narcotics.
In the early 2000s, West Africa emerged as a crucial transportation route for trafficking cocaine from Latin America. Countries like Guinea-Bissau and Mali played a significant role in facilitating the movement of cocaine to global consumer markets. Similarly, East Africa experienced a similar trend as Afghan heroin and methamphetamines were transported via the Indian Ocean.
Belgium and the Netherlands serve as the main entry points for cocaine from Latin America, with Morocco in North Africa acting as a key link in the trafficking chain. What was once primarily trafficking of hashish has now extended to cocaine, a more lucrative drug.
The Gambia has emerged as a crucial transit point for South American cocaine smuggled to Europe, according to the ISS. In February 2023, authorities confiscated over 800 kg of cocaine from a Gambian fishing boat in Senegalese waters. The Gambian government acknowledged its role as a transit and storage point for various drugs entering the country through sea, land, and air borders.
West African nations, including Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria, and Senegal, along with Central African countries, have been labeled new cocaine hotspots by a United Nations report, as stated by the Africa Defense Forum. Large quantities of cocaine enter Durban’s harbor in South Africa from Latin America, and then find their way to Australia via sea routes.
It is worth noting that cocaine trafficked from South America through West Africa is no longer primarily destined for Europe. Increasingly, the drug is being sold and consumed within the African continent itself.
With Africa’s central location and its connections to both supply and demand markets, it is crucial for authorities to intensify efforts in combating drug trafficking. Cooperation between nations, bolstered law enforcement, and effective border control measures are essential in mitigating the impact of this transnational criminal activity.
The escalating trend of cocaine trafficking in Africa demands urgent attention and collaborative actions from governments, international organizations, and local communities. By addressing this issue head-on, the continent can strive towards a future free from the clutches of drug trafficking and its associated social harms.
