Heads of drug law enforcement agencies in Africa have unanimously called for the establishment of specialized courts to handle drug cases and other organized crimes across the continent. This resolution was one of the recommendations adopted during the 31st Meeting of Heads of National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies, Africa (HONLAF), which concluded in Abuja on Friday.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Director of Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, revealed this in a statement issued on Saturday. According to the heads of the agencies, governments should consider setting up national specialized courts and asset recovery offices dedicated to combatting organized crime, money laundering, and facilitating the tracing, recovery, and management of illicit proceeds.
The heads of agencies also encouraged governments to fully leverage existing informal regional and international cooperation instruments to facilitate investigations and prosecution of organized crime, drug crimes, and associated money laundering. These instruments include the West African Network of Central Authorities and Prosecutors (WACAP), Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network for Southern Africa (ARINSA), Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network of West Africa (ARINWA), and the UNODC CRIMJUST program.
The African anti-narcotics bodies further urged governments to promote cooperation and the exchange of best practices in the confiscation of illicit proceeds, particularly in drug-related cases. In addition, they emphasized the importance of implementing robust legal and regulatory frameworks for virtual assets, such as cryptocurrencies, to prevent their use in drug-related crimes and money laundering.
The statement also emphasized the need to enhance collaboration among law enforcement agencies and other relevant national entities, including the ministries of environment and agriculture.
During the week-long meeting, hosted by the NDLEA, delegates and participants were honored with a gala night dinner. The special guest of honor, Senator George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, urged attendees to diligently implement the agreements reached during the conference.
