Drug trafficking keeps rising in Africa — Talking Drugs
Ghana
The West African country was recently ranked the third cocaine transit destination in Africa behind Nigeria and South Africa respectively.
According to the 2016 World Drug Report by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Ghana had become a major passage point for cocaine from South America en route to Europe.
“Of the cocaine shipments leaving Ghana, 61 per cent left the country by boat and 39 per cent by air”, the report indicated.
Politicians and other influential businessmen are believed to be behind the illegal drugs trade in Ghana. In 2005, a lawmaker, Eric Amoateng was arrested for the possession of heroin believed to be worth six million dollars.
David McDermott was arrested in Ghana
Later in 2016, David McDermott, a British fugitive linked to a drugs gang was arrested in Ghana.
Meanwhile, the abuse of drugs continues to rise. As at 2016, marijuana was the main illicit drug used within Ghana and is trafficked within and from the country with increasing regularity, primarily to Spain. Cultivation of cannabis also increased in 2016.
