In 2023, law enforcement agencies in The Gambia and ten other West African countries seized a total of 83,734.84 kg of drugs and over 31,000 drug tablets and capsules, according to a report released in September 2024 by the West African Epidemiology Network on Drug Use (WENDU).
The report, titled “West Africa’s Creeping Drug Epidemic: Soaring Addiction, Lagging Response,”* offers detailed insights into the region’s growing drug crisis. It revealed that the largest seizures of cocaine occurred in Senegal and The Gambia.
Most of the drugs confiscated were cannabis and similar substances, alongside opioids, heroin, and cocaine.Senegal led the region with 15,905 kg of cannabis seized, followed by Benin with 13,704 kg and Côte d’Ivoire with 13,267 kg. In terms of heroin, 87.37 kg were confiscated, with Liberia accounting for 62.07% of the total heroin seizures.The report emphasized that while drug seizures don’t directly reflect the scale of drug trafficking, they indicate the efforts and priorities of law enforcement agencies in the region. West Africa has increasingly become a hotspot for illegal drug use, with addiction rates rising alongside socio-economic challenges and insecurity.
The escalating drug problem has led to higher healthcare costs for treating substance use disorders and significant government resources being allocated to combating drug trafficking, which could otherwise be used for poverty reduction.
To address these challenges, the report recommends stronger preventive measures targeting minors, better intelligence gathering, and enhanced cooperation between drug enforcement agencies to disrupt supply chains.
In a previous 2022 report, WENDU had noted a sharp increase in cannabis seizures in West Africa, from 139 tons in 2020 to 892 tons in 2022, underscoring the region’s ongoing struggle with drug trafficking.
