Drug Abuse in the Global Village
Drug Seizures in Africa

Burkina Faso
In 1991, about 68 kg of cannabis herb and 27,384 units of stimulants were seized (U.N. 1991). 
      
      During the years 1992-1993, 1.3 kg of cannabis, 99 g of cocaine and 100 g of heroin were seized. 
About 624,874 amphetamines and other pills and 60 boxes were seized, during the same period (La Depeche
1994).

Chad
In 1991, 131 kg of cannabis herb, 1.65 kg of heroin, 10,740 units of depressants, and 27,605 units of
stimulants were seized (Other official sources 1991; U.N. 1991).

Cote D'Ivoire
In 1992, reported seizures included 792 kg of cannabis herb, 0.429 kg of cocaine (compared with 4.325
kg in 1991), 6.872 kg of heroin and 4 units of stimulants (Other official sources 1991, 1992). 3 kg of
heroin bound to New York were seized at Abidjan's airport in the last 2 months of 1992 as a result of
increased attention to transit passengers (INCSR 1993).

Egypt
In 1992, 770,004 units of cannabis plants, 7,985.258 kg of cannabis resin, 21 units of cannabis seeds,
0.292 kg of cocaine (base and salts), 52.029 kg and 0.095 l of heroin, 0.226 l of morphine, 7.620 l of
opiates, 0.018 l of liquid opium, 3,783,463 units of opium (plants and capsules), 1,037 units of LSD
and 299.983 l of stimulants were seized (U.N. 1992). 
      
      In 1991, about 3.8 million units of opium plants and capsules were seized, for 1990, the total was 4.7
million units. About 50 kg of opium, raw and prepared, were also seized in 1991 (Other 1990, 1991). 
      
      About 1,325.538 l of stimulants were seized in 1990, compared to 536.430 l in 1991 (Other 1990, 1991).
 
     Heroin seizures at the Cairo International Airport, from West African couriers in transit between
Bangkok and Lagos have declined. This is attributed to the ANGA airport interdiction programme,
supported by DEA, which is believed to have forced traffickers to seek alternative routes.  The
programme is supported by an INM-procured X-ray machine and a United States of America trained
drug-detecting dog and handler team (INCSR 1993). 
      
      Within the last ten years, ANGA (Anti-Narcotics General Administration) has trained all branches of
the Egyptian anti-narcotics agencies, including their own staff, customs, coast and border guards.  In
total, 22 training courses have been conducted for approximately 500 students.  This organization
constitutes Egypt's leading drug law enforcement agency with country-wide responsibility, through its
regional branches and considerable human resources.  To combat the changing drug trafficking trends
ANGA has opened an additional 8 regional branches to cover the recently opened Libyan and Sudanese
borders (UNDCP CPF 1993).

Ethiopia
The frequency and quantity of drug seizures at the Addis Ababa Airport have increased during the past
five years (Forum 1993). 
      
      In 1992, 5,224 kg of cannabis herb, 0.077 kg of cocaine (base and salts), 0.029 kg of morphine and 1
kg of stimulants were seized (U.N. 1992). 
      
      In 1991, 0.353 kg of cannabis herb, 1.100 kg of cocaine, 0.059 kg/6 units of morphine and 0.311 kg/37
units of LSD were seized (U.N. 1991). 
      
      According to data from the Pharmaceutical Service Department, Ministry of Health, in 1987 40.07 kg of
cannabis were seized, in 1988 75 g of heroin and 17.40 kg of cannabis, in 1989 73 g of heroin and 7.5 g
of cocaine, and in 1990 20 kg of heroin and 10 kg of cannabis were seized (Report 1991).

Gabon
In 1992, 80.990 kg of cannabis herb, 7 units of cannabis plants, 0.060 kg of cannabis seeds, 0.258 kg
of cocaine (base and salts), 0.117 kg of heroin and 85 units of depressants were seized (Other 1992). 
      
      In 1991, 198 kg of cannabis herb, 151 units of cannabis plants, 0.300 kg of cocaine, 0.455 kg of
heroin, 600 units of depressants and 4,161 units of stimulants were seized (Other 1991).

Ghana
Cocaine seizures and arrests rose in 1992.  Customs seized two significant shipments of cocaine at
Accra International Airport.  Both originated in Rio de Janeiro, were smuggled by air first to Lagos
and then to Accra, and were intended for transshipment to the U.S. (INCSR 1993). 
      
      In 1992, 2,382.408 kg of cannabis plants (including cannabis herb), 6.608 kg of cocaine (base and
salts) and 3.324 kg of heroin were seized (U.N. 1992). 
      
      In 1990, 10,205.881 kg of cannabis plants, 5 kg of cocaine (base and salts), and 26 kg of heroin were
seized (U.N. 1990).

Kenya

Mali
In 1992, 47 kg of cannabis herb were seized (ICPO/Interpol 1992).

Mauritius
In 1991, 1.207 kg of cannabis herb, 13,499 units of cannabis plants, .072 kg of cannabis seeds, 3.996
kg of heroin, 204 units of opiates, and 4,245 units of depressants were seized (U.N. 1991).

Morocco
In 1992, 27.272 kg of cannabis (liquid), 27,022.748 kg of cannabis herb, 65,540.028 kg of cannabis
resin, 5.471 kg of cocaine (base and salts) and 0.452 kg of heroin were seized (U.N. 1992). 
      
      In 1991, 4.300 kg of cannabis (liquid), 20,705.216 kg of cannabis herb, 50,600 units of cannabis
plants, 41,478.973 kg of cannabis resin, 16.953 kg of cocaine (base and salts), 0.088 kg of heroin,
.120 kg of morphine, and 19,945 units of depressants were seized (U.N. 1991).

Namibia
In 1992, 329.312 kg of cannabis plants and 3,655 units of methaqualone were seized (U.N. 1992). 
 
     In 1991, 1,024.953 kg of cannabis herb, 2.015 kg/140 units of cannabis plants, 1.467 kg of heroin and
425,364 units of methaqualone were seized (U.N. 1991).

Nigeria
In 1992, 2,550.338 kg of cannabis herb, 416.954 kg of cocaine (base and salts), 168.024 kg of heroin,
18.672 kg of morphine and 1 unit of stimulants were seized (U.N. 1992). 
      
     In 1992, the NDLEA reported the destruction of approximately 60 tons of cannabis which were growing in
over 4,000 hectares of farmland (Nigeria 1993).

Rwanda
In 1992, 419.3 kg of cannabis herb and 25 kg of cannabis seeds were seized (Other 1992).  In 1992,
there were 63 seizures with a total of 195.600 kg of cannabis.  There were no seizures of heroin,
cocaine and psychotropic substances (Interpol 1993). Record seizures were made in 1992 on the frontier
between Rwanda and Zaire (Rwanda 1993). 
      
      Heroin trafficking from Nairobi through Rwanda to Belgium and France was first reported around 1989. 
The absence of a specialized anti-drug brigade at the airport is reported to seriously hamper the fight
against this type of trafficking (Rwanda 1993).

Senegal
Illicit trafficking and quantities of illicit drugs seized have increased according to 1989 Annual
Reports Questionnaire (U.N. 1989). 
      
      In 1992, 700.481 kg of cannabis herb, 75 units of cannabis plants, 0.861 kg of cocaine (base and
salts) and 1.245 kg of heroin were seized (ICPO/Interpol 1992). 
      
      In 1991, 389.184 kg of cannabis herb, 218.400 kg of cannabis resin, 20.340 kg of cocaine (base and
salts), 10.776 kg of opium (raw and prepared) and 68,581 units of stimulants were seized (ICPO/Interpol
1991). 
      
      Most seizures made in 1990 involved cannabis (946 seizures totaling more than 4.5 tons, of which
almost 4 tons related to trafficking and/or consumption, and 500 kg to cultivation).  There were 231
seizures of psychotropic substances (totalling 15,768 tablets).  Cocaine (13) and heroin (19) seizures
totalled 5.7 kg and 24.8 kg respectively (Senegal 1991). 
      
      In 1987, an important operation was undertaken in Casamance, which allowed for the destruction of 12
tons of harvested cannabis as well as of 30 cannabis fields (Mission 1989).

South Africa
In 1991, 680,024 kg of cannabis herb, 4,016,400 kg of cannabis plants, 38.826 kg of cocaine, 0.262 kg
of heroin, 1,619 units of LSD, and 1,963,418 units of methaqualone were seized (U.N. 1991). 
      
      A 1994 UNDCP mission report, suggests significant increases in cannabis, cocaine and methaqualone
seizures in 1993.

Sudan
In 1992, 65,741.494 kg of cannabis plants (including cannabis herb), 0.504 kg of heroin, 10.000 kg of
khat, 10.000 kg of depressants and 3.000 kg of stimulants were seized (U.N. 1992).  
      
      In 1991, 52,971.260 kg of cannabis herb, 10,084 kg of cannabis plants, 0.041 kg of cocaine (base and
salts), 0.055 kg of heroin and 155,736 units of depressants were seized.  Stimulants were also seized,
but the quantity has not been reported (U.N. 1991).

Uganda
In 1990, 3.902 kg of heroin, 74.140 kg of cannabis seeds, 239.140 kg of cannabis herb and 72,000 units
of methaqualone were seized.  In 1991, 1,286 kg of cannabis herb, 3 kg of cocaine and 2.5 kg of heroin
were seized. Seizures for 1992 included 143.931 kg of cannabis herb, 25,000 units of cannabis plants,
2.5 kg of cannabis resin, 40 kg of cannabis seeds, 0.815 kg of cocaine, 0.5 kg of heroin and 60,000
units of methaqualone (U.N. 1990, 1992; Other 1990, 1991).

United Republic of Tanzania
In 1991, about 8 kg of cannabis herbs, 5,384 kg of cannabis resin, 0.3 kg of cocaine and 1.557 kg of
heroin were seized (ICPO 1991; Other official sources 1991). Seizures in 1992 are cannabis plants about
21,564 kg, heroin 1.132 kg and 46 units, morphine 0.08 kg, methaqualone 8 units, stimulants 28.154 kg
(U.N. 1992, Part III).

Zambia
In 1992, 1,226.998 kg of cannabis herb, 2.410 kg of cocaine (base and salts), 0.004 kg of morphine and
1,669,502 units of methaqualone were seized (Other 1992). 
      
      In 1991, 1,762.070 kg of cannabis herbs, 2.600 kg of heroin, 1.161 kg of morphine, 0.024 kg of
synthetic narcotics and 1,004,262 units of methaqualone were seized (Other 1991).

Zimbabwe
In 1992, 918.577 kg of cannabis herb, 215 u. of cannabis plants, 4.200 kg of cocaine (base and salts)
and  0.80 kg of heroin were seized (ICPO/Interpol 1992).