Illicit drugs labs threat to public health, national security – Marwa

The Chairman, NDLEA, retired, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa says the existence of illicit drugs laboratories in Nigeria underscores the growing threat of illicit drugs to public health and national security.

Marwa said this on Monday in Lagos at the Global Rapid Interdiction of Dangerous Substances (GRIDS) twinning programme, organized by International Narcotics Control Board (INCB).

In a statement by Mr Femi Babafemi, Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Marwa said that the laboratories produce methamphetamine, captagon, fentanyl, and other deadly substances.

The NDLEA boss said it was imperetive for anti-narcotic agencies to forge a clear formidable lead to stop drug trafficking cartels from maintaining effective network across the globe.

“This programme is a laudable initiative and is timely considering the proliferation of new psychotropic substances, non-medical synthetic opioids, and other dangerous substances.

“The multi-agency training on real-time communication, intelligence tools, awareness raising, and the handling of dangerous substances, is a welcome development aimed at intercepting narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.

“Expectedly, this will help to strengthen the capacity of law enforcement and regulatory officers across regions and promote faster and more effective cooperation among participating countries.”

He said that the collaboration of law enforcement and regulatory officers of Ghana, Nigeria, Thailand and Vietnam involved in the programme, was apt.

Marwa said they would benefit from intelligence sharing and officer exchange programmes, “which are vital to the dislodgment of transnational drug trafficking groups”.

He expressed optimism about the gains of the strategic alliance between West Africa and Southeast Asia, saying the twinning programme was a solid foundation for coordinated onslaught against drug trafficking cartels.

“Apart from exposing officers to global and regional trend in new psychotropic substances (NPS) and non-medical synthetic opioids, it will also enhance the capacity of law enforcement agents to discharge their duties,” he added.

The NDLEA boss emphasised the need for greater partnership among nations while promising that the agency would take every step to increase local and international collaboration.

“As part of that, the agency is poised to tighten the noose against drug traffickers as we partner towards an integrated and balanced strategy to counter the world drug problem.”

Also speaking, Mr Craig Nixon of the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement, US Department of State, said they would continue to engage partners for more impactful counter-narcotics and law enforcement outcomes.

This, he said, would be done through foreign assistance, diplomacy, and deployment of deterrence tools.

He also said that the new modality of synthetic drug trafficking posed a significant challenge to the United States.

In his remarks, Regional Technical Officer, INCB’s GRIDS programme in West and Central Africa, Amari Bedi Olivier congratulated the NDLEA Chairman over the recent historic seizures of Fentanyl.

“The mention of this opioid in Africa is frightening, and Mr Chairman, you had the courage to alert the world during the HONLEA on the risk of this substance on the African continent.

“Your message enabled us to launch a search in our analysis tool, called IONICS. Information has been shared with the countries concerned and investigations are ongoing.

“I want to bring up this case to highlight your courage in assuming our own history and responsibilities by not denying the possibility of such trafficking in Africa,” he said.

In his presentation, the Regional Technical Officer, GRIDS Programme, Long-Nguyen Duc, warned that social media networks were increasingly being exploited by vendors of dangerous substances such as synthetic opioids or NPS.

He said “more and more vendors are “fishing” their customers over Social Media and then continue the communication via encrypted communication tools”.

Duc highlighted the dangers of exposure to fentanyl through use or improper handling.