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Africa

Africa, Asia, People
Drugs and a Racial Stereotype
06.12.06 | Permalink | Comment?

Ever since the recent drug overdose hospitalisation of Rahul Mahajan, the son of a prominent Indian MP, Nigerian students in India having been feeling the unwelcome onset of racial vilification.

When the investigation surrounding the hospitalisation of Rahuk Mahajan and the death of his secretary Bibk Moitra was begun, three Nigerias were arrested on charges of providing the drugs.

Now it seems all African students are coming under the microscope of the Indian communities in which they have chosen to study as well as the law enforcement agencies of the country.
Africa, People, War on Drugs
A drug bust, Ghanaian police and the “culture of silence”
06.09.06 | Permalink | Comment?

Just over a week ago I wrote about
the disappearance of five kilograms of cocaine out of a total 30 kilograms seized from a ship off the coast of Ghana. It went missing while in the custody of officials of the Narcotics Control Board. The Ministry of the Interior subsequently set up an investigation into the theft.

Bennett Akuaku has just written in the Ghanaian Chronicle why he wasn’t at all surprised by the pilfering of drugs. Firstly because it has happened on several occasions in the past; and secondly because of the “culture of silence” that he sees as pervading the police service. When honest and brave police do try and expose these thefts they get ignored, which only reinforces the belief that the police service is hopelessly corrupt.
Africa, Asia, North America, Smuggling
Canadians Seize Pakistani Hash via Angola
06.07.06 | Permalink | Comment?

Constantly keeping up with all of the latest news in narcotics and drugs, one begins to develop quite an appreciation for the convoluted ways in which major drug shipments can pass into a country.

This week, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police announced the seizure of a drug shipment into Canada.

The Mounties were assisted by the Canadian navy when they tracked the shipment off the coast of Angola in Africa. The shipment, which originated in Pakistan was transferred to Angola and then by boat to a waiting ship off the coast. Then it was tracked on that ship all the way to Canada. The trackers actually ended up spending 43 days at sea.
Africa, Europe, Middle East, North America
Chewing Qat
06.06.06 | Permalink | 1 Comment

Chewing Qat is one of the national past times for many countries from the Horn of Africa through to the Arabian Peninsular.

With all the news on “harder” drugs such as heroin and ecstacy in the west, we don’t really get to hear a lot about this mild stimulant whose use predates coffee.

The exact makeup of the drug wasn’t even established by scientists until the late 70s, but is now known to include chemicals belonging to the PPA (phenylpropanolamine) family which induce a mild euphoria among users. It has even resulted in psychosis with some users. Prolonged use can result in withdrawal symptoms when the user tries to stop, such as depression, nightmares, tremors and lethargy.
Africa, People, War on Drugs
Friends/Family of South African Detainees Abroad
06.05.06 | Permalink | Comment?

The Star has a profile of the prisoner support group Friends/Family of South African Detainees Abroad (Fosada), which campaigns and raises funds on behalf of South African prisoners held in jails overseas. In South America, for instance, Fosada estimates there are around 150 South Africans in jail, the majority of them, 110, in Brazil.

Many are incarcerated after being caught smuggling drugs. Lured by the prospect of quick and easy money, these drug mules or “dead cows for piranhas” as described by South American authorities, end up stuck, often sick, sometimes dying, in prisons far away from their families and friends.
Africa, War on Drugs
Another drug bust in Ghana
06.03.06 | Permalink | Comment?

In the second of two high profile drug busts in Ghana recently, 68 large cartons of cocaine were seized on the 21st of May, after being intercepted in a blue-black Mercedes Benz truck on its way westward from Prampram beach to the capital Accra.

Police had received a tip-off that unidentified items had been loaded onto the bus on a beach - possibly from dinghies sent from a ship offshore - and set up a roadblock. Just in time it seems. Soon after, the bus approached, slowed as if to stop and then sped away. The driver, who was apprehended shortly after, claimed he was carrying fish. A search of the truck revealed a few fish but he wasn’t able to explain away the presence of the cartons of cocaine. A car containing $10,000 was found nearby, abandoned.
Africa, Europe, Smuggling
Spanish Police Seize Morroccan hash from Peruvian truck driver headed for Netherlands!
06.01.06 | Permalink | Comment?

Sounds like the beginning of a bad joke!

Spanish police recently seized enough hashish to give half of Europe the munchies.

A massive two tons of the stuff was seized in a truck full of fruit and vegetables on the outskirts of Granada in Spain.
Africa, Smuggling
Portion of cocaine seized in Ghana later disappears
05.31.06 | Permalink | Comment?

Around the same time as six men appeared in court in Accra, Ghana, on charges of smuggling 30 kilograms of cocaine on a Ghana-registered ship, a three-member committee has been created by the Ministry of the Interior into the disappearance of five kilograms of the drugs seized.

The six crew men, three of them Ghanaian, two from China and one from South Korea, faced court earlier this week on charges of “importing narcotic drugs without a licence from the Ministry of Health, possessing narcotic drugs and engaging in criminal conspiracy”.
Africa, The Media
“Kenya: The Drinking Country”
05.27.06 | Permalink | Comment?

About a week ago I posted a story about the Kenyan singer Awilo and his big hit from a few years ago “Am not sober”, in which I mentioned the attempt to introduce the “Alcoblow” in Kenya. The introduction of the breathalyser by police last December proved very unpopular with some drivers, so much so that a group of them took their objection to the High Court. They argued, successfully, that since the breathalyser had no basis in legislation its use by police should be banned.
Africa, Smuggling
Zimbabwe contraband
05.22.06 | Permalink | Comment?

As mentioned by Rob a few days ago, cigarette smuggling can be seen as a reaction to high government taxes. South Africa, with its excise duties on cigarettes accounting for over half the price of retail prices, is no exception. With an extremely weak economy next door in Zimbabwe and the prospect of converting cartons of cigarettes obtained there into South Africa’s much stronger currency, it is no surprise that the border crossing point of Beitbridge is a popular thoroughfare for this illegal activity. But there are risks, as a few would-be smugglers have discovered of late.