POROUS coastal boarders remain the most preferred loopholes that drug barons use to smuggle in narcotics, according to the United Nation’s International Narcotic Control Board 2014 report launched in Dar es Salaam.
Tanga, Lindi and Mtwara are the notoriously used coastal points, with the report showing that in the 2014 alone, 2.3 tons of drugs were seized while over 400 Tanzanians were arrested overseas on drug related cases.
A Systems Analyst with the Tanzania Drug Control Commission, Mr January Ntisi, said most of Tanzanians arrested in relation to drug trafficking are in Brazil, China’s Macao and Hong Kong.
He reported that between 2008 and 2013, about 443 Tanzanians were arrested in various countries abroad, most of them being in Brazil and China.
The report has called on all governments to intensify the war against narcotics and observe the international drug control treaties in the illicit drug fight as well.
It encourages government to respect all relevant human rights norms in designing drug related strategies and policies, including the Convention on the rights of Child to protect children from the illicit use of narcotic drugs and other substances.
In Africa, according to the report, persistent threats of peace and security in parts of African have spurred an increase in illicit drug trafficking.
Eastern Africa has increasingly become a transit route for heroin bound for markets in South Africa and West Africa, while South Africa continues to be a hub for global transit of heroin and cocaine.
Central America and the Caribbean continue to be exploited by local and international criminal groups as a trans-shipment route for illicit drugs originating in South America and destined for North America and Europe, the report noted.
Cocaine trafficking remains the most lucrative source of income for organised criminals groups while there is a also a growing trend towards increased production of illicit drugs.
The report added that the highest drug-related mortality rate of any region in the world is in North America, with the United States having more drug overdose deaths, primarily related to opioids than homicides and road accidents fatalities.
In her comments during Wednesday’s launch of the report, the United Nations Drug Control Programme Officer, Ms Immaculate Malyamkono, said it was sad that East Africa, especially Kenya and Tanzania, is a transit points for drug traffickers.
She said UNDC is working with the government to control demand and supply of illicit drugs – and putting in place strategies to discourage use of illicit drugs, such as providing medical attention to drug addicts.