UN commends Tanzania over control in drug trafficking - Official

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has commended Tanzania over its success in controlling drug trafficking, an official said on Thursday.

James Kaji, the Acting Commissioner General for the Drug Control and Enforcement Authority (DCEA), said the UNODC report for 2019 showed that Tanzania has controlled drug trafficking, especially of heroin, by 90 percent.

"The achievement made by Tanzania in controlling drug trafficking is a result of three consecutive years (2018-2020) of concerted efforts in fighting the illicit trade," Kaji told a news conference in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam.

The UNODC, through the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), said Tanzania was among a handful African countries that has succeeded in fighting drug trafficking and drug abuse, said the official.

Kaji added that the achievements were made following the enactment of the drug control and enforcement legislation in 2015 and its amendments in 2017.

"Despite its porous borders, Tanzania has been able to control and monitor its borders in collaboration with international security agencies by conducting special operations that have hugely helped to control the illicit trade," said Kaji.

Following the achievements made by Tanzania in controlling drug trafficking, Kaji said a number of countries, including Uganda, Mozambique, Nigeria and Ghana have requested to learn from the country on how it managed to control the illicit business.