United States don warn say Mexican drug gangs dey look towards Africa as another route to move illegal drugs, after National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) discover and close four places wey dem dey produce methamphetamine for Nigeria this year.
US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs for Africa and the Middle East, Michael Gonzales, talk say the operations show how important Nigeria’s fight against illegal drugs be to both countries, as America dey increase pressure on drug gangs wey dey operate for the Western Hemisphere.
Gonzales talk this one on Tuesday during im visit to NDLEA headquarters for Abuja. E praise the agency for im work and explain say e choose Nigeria as the first country to visit after e enter office because of Nigeria’s importance and the results wey NDLEA don achieve.
E talk say, “Na only four months don pass since I become Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement, wey cover all countries for Africa and the Middle East. When I dey think about the best country to visit first, Nigeria come be the clear choice.
“Na because Nigeria be one of the leading countries for Africa, both for leadership and economy. NDLEA too don achieve plenty important results through the work wey una and una partners dey do.
“Apart from the strong relationship between INL and NDLEA, I want to see with my own eyes where all this good work dey happen, as we dey talk am for America.”
Gonzales point to the four methamphetamine laboratories wey NDLEA discover this year, say the operations show how the agency dey use information gathering, cooperation between different agencies, careful planning and investigation to fight illegal drugs.
E talk say, “The four meth laboratories wey dem discover this year show the kind strong methods wey we dey use for this work. E include gathering information, sharing intelligence across borders and agencies, carrying out operations, questioning suspects, investigating cases and taking people go court.
“All these things dey important because the work wey we dey do every day to fight illegal drugs dey help protect people.”
The US official explain say the operations no concern Nigeria alone because illegal drug trade dey cross country borders, and success for one country fit affect how drugs dey reach other parts of the world.
E talk say, “When I dey talk to people for America, I tell dem say almost no other foreign policy matter dey affect families and communities for our country as much as illegal drugs.
“The truth be say illegal drug trade no get boundary and e no dey follow many restrictions. The work wey INL dey do for America and other parts of the world, together with the work wey NDLEA dey do, dey help both Nigerians and Americans.”
Gonzales add say America don spend more than 40 years supporting the fight against illegal drugs around the world through training and equipment.
E warn say as the way drug traffickers dey operate dey change, countries need to work together to stop the criminal groups behind the business.
According to am, the strong pressure wey America dey put on drug gangs for the Western Hemisphere dey force some traffickers to look for other routes through Africa to reach Europe and other places.
The US official also talk about how drug traffickers dey move away from drugs wey come from plants to synthetic drugs wey dem produce with chemicals. E say these drugs fit hard to detect and fit cause more danger.
E insist say the fight against illegal drugs suppose focus on the criminal groups as a whole, including the money wey dem dey make and use to support their activities.
For im response, NDLEA Chairman, Buba Marwa, say the agency’s recent operations reveal wetin e describe as a deliberate plan by Mexican drug gangs to make Nigeria one of the places wey dem dey produce methamphetamine.
Marwa talk say, “Crime no get border, and the danger wey e bring no get border too. The drugs wey we seize, the weapons wey we intercept and the money wey we trace to terrorist activities no be separate problems.
“When we seize illegal drugs and weapons during the same operations and along the same routes, e show say different crimes dey connect. Money from drug business fit buy guns, guns fit support armed groups, and armed groups fit support terrorism.
“Terrorism no get border. The problems wey dey grow for the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin no dey remain there, and illegal goods wey pass through West Africa no dey stop for our coastline.”
Marwa then begin explain the operations wey NDLEA carry out against the laboratories, starting with the biggest secret methamphetamine laboratory wey the agency don ever discover for Nigeria.
E insist say the danger from Mexican drug gangs na real matter, and NDLEA dey take action to stop dem.
