The United States of America and the International Narcotics Control Board, a United Nations affiliated body, have described Nigeria as a major transfer point of drugs and money laundering.
The Empowered Newswire, a US-based Nigerian news agency, reports that the US government has identified Nigerians who are into illegal drug transshipment in South America.
At the UN headquarters on Monday, the INCB said cannabis (ie Marijuana) continued to be the most abused drug in Africa, listing Nigeria among the largest cannabis producers in the continent. Other countries named in the illicit drug business included Benin, Togo and Ghana.
Heroin business is also thriving in the country, according to the 2007 Annual Report of the board.
The report said heroin was smuggled by air from Southwest Asia through Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Ghana among other African countries.
According to the UN board, another problem in Nigeria and Africa generally is the �misuse of pharmaceutical preparations containing narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, which are sold by street vendors and health-care providers without a prescription.�
The concern of the world body is that if these problems are left un-addressed in Nigeria and Africa, they could have �severe adverse consequences on the health of their population and their social fabric.�
As currently constituted, the UN board disclosed that West Africa was rapidly developing into a major smuggling route for cocaine and other hard drugs from Latin America through Europe with between 200-300 tons of cocaine entering Europe from countries like Nigeria, where it is stockpiled and repackaged for transport.