Drug trafficking in West Africa directly harms Americans – US
The United States says the drug trafficking menace in West Africa is “directly” harming its citizens.
The Assistant Secretary in-charge of the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, William R. Brownfield told the US Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control on May 16, 2012 that the US has invested greatly in attacking the South American drug cartels that move cocaine to the streets of America and “because of our successes impeding the flow of cocaine north, and growing demand for cocaine in Europe, these cartels have found new ways to stay in business”.
“Drug trafficking in West Africa directly harms Americans. Although most of the cocaine moving through West Africa goes to Europe, the proceeds from cocaine trafficked through West Africa flow back to organizations that move cocaine to America, reinforcing their financial strength and their motivation to continue exploiting emerging routes for drug sales.” Mr Brownfield said.
He further stated that drug trafficking is not only destabilizing Africa but it “undercuts” the U.S. policy priorities in West Africa, including security, democracy, and good governance as proceeds from the activities are fueling a dramatic increase in narco-corruption, including in the form of contributions to election campaigns in West Africa.
According to the US official, his Bureau has also observed and seen drug trafficking in the West African region expanding from cocaine to include heroin, which “does come to American streets”. Citing an example, Brownfield said in July 2011, “U.S. federal agents took down an international heroin trafficking ring that moved heroin from Ghana to Dulles International Airport”.
Even though the trafficking through West Africa has become a major problem for Americans and its foreign policy, Mr Brownfield said some successes have been chalked in addressing the menace.
“By developing relationships with our West African partners, we have been able to force significant traffickers, who had previously eluded arrest, to face justice. For example, in July 2010, a Federal Court in Manhattan sentenced Jesus Eduardo Valencia-Arbelaez to over 17 years for his role leading a sophisticated international cocaine trafficking organization. His organization was based in Colombia and Venezuela but operated in Europe, West Africa, and the United States,” He told the Senate Caucus.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has estimated that, together, these illicit activities generate approximately $3.34 billion a year and cocaine trafficking is one of the most lucrative of these illicit activities.
In fact, the U.S. government and the UNODC have estimated that about 13% of the global cocaine flow moves through West Africa.
By Ekow Quandzie