CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1       Background of the Study

The twin problem of drug trafficking and abuse is a global phenomenon with serious threat to the economic and social existence of any given nation. The continued resistance to solutions has created prostrations to both individuals and the State Government.

Several resources have emerged as to why the drug problem is persistent all over the world. Huge economic benefits derived by the very powerful drug  barons  in countries such as the United states, and those occupying the so-called “ Golden Triangle” Thailand, Laos, Burma and China, the ruthlessness of the powerfully organized crime syndicates such as the drug cartels found  in Italy ,Columbia, Mexico and the United States, the involvement of highly placed persons, continues increase in the population of drugs addicts, lack of effective global strategy in dealing with the problem, corruption in law enforcement agencies, and the  politics of interactional drug control have  been identified among others as to why the problem remain insistent. (Dambazau, 1995).

Consequent upon the lack of answers to the problem, some countries have resorted to the application of the unorthodox means to curb the magnitude of the drug problem. This may seems to violate international law, such as the invasion of panama in 1988 by the United States where the Panamanian president, Manuel Noriega was forcefully arrested, abducted to the United States, and subsequently convicted and imprisoned for drug offences. Consistent harassment, deliumanisation and embarrassment of passengers at various points of entries due to searches by law enforcement personnel which sometimes involved forceful drug testing are common practice. In some cases, military  personnel have been employed for drug  interdiction in the United States and Mexico. However, this has been condemned for the fact that more than maximum force has been applied to counter the organized drug syndicates in spite of their sophistication in weapon.

Ronald Regan in 1982 with respect to the magnitude of this problem, maintained that “ the moods towards drugs is changing——  we are making no excuses for drugs ——– drugs are bad and we are going after them. The problem of drugs is very complex with a wide network of organized trafficking syndicates ranging from South East Asia, Caribbean, Central and South America, North West Africa. Over a period of time ,security agents  have identified prominent routes in drugs trade. The first originated from Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Equador, and Bolivia, with transshipment points in Panama, Honduras, Costa Rica. El Salvador, and Nicaragua, while the final destination is the United States and Canada, sometimes via Mexico. The   predominant drug on this route is cocaine , and  the dominant organized crime syndicates are  the Cali and Medallin cartels.

The  Bahamas main corridor route is next to the Latin American route which originate from  the Caribbean, Central and South America, with final destination in the United States.  The Bahamas is a major  transit country for cocaine and Marijuana entering the United State via the Florida coast.  There is also the North African route which originates heroine from Turkey  and cocaine from Colombia through Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, to Europe. In the South East Asian route methamphetamine hydrohloride popularly  known as ice,  which originates from the Philippine, Hong Kong and China backed  by opium from the Golden triangle and Golden crescent  in which Nigeria and Ghana are the main transit  countries for onward movement to  the United States and Europe.

There are in fact, numerous Nigerian groups trafficking in narcotics.  More recently, Thailand has become the most attractive source of South East Asian heroin for Nigerians and other  West African nations. Available records from the Interpol has shown that three out every five persons arrested for heroin trafficking in Bankok are Nigerians. This is further buttressed by the numerous  US dollar inflows into Thailand by Nigerians which in itself is a clear indication of the significance of the heroin trafficking  activities of this group. 

Apparently, Lagos remains the focal point in West African heroin network and is   identified as the principal secondary redistribution centre, for onward shipment to European and North American markets. The increased supply of south American cocaine to Europe during the 1985-1991 has been exploited by Africans, especially Nigerians. Cocaine for example, is now being increasingly transported by these groups from Soa Paulo in Brazil and La Paz in Bolivia to West African capitals for onward shipment to European destinations. It is important to note that when these drugs smuggled into Nigeria by these criminal groups on transit for the purpose of onward movement to Europe and North America were trapped and thus prevented from being taken out to the European market largely due to the effectiveness of law enforcement agencies at the International airports and other points of entry or exit, Nigeria begin to transform from the status of transiting country to consuming one. However , the result of the outcome of the effectiveness of the Nigerian law enforcement agencies at the international airports in the prevention of the exportation of these drugs to their expected destinations indirectly compelled the Nigerian Trafficking syndicates to source for the market of their products locally. The extent of  the success  of these groups  in the establishment of local market for their products within the country has automatically changed the single status of Nigeria from being a transit country to a double status of being a transit and consuming country where  these trapped products  are redistributed and sold to consumers within the country (Attah,1991).