Heads of drug law enforcement agencies in Africa have called for the setting up of specialised courts to try drug cases and other organised crimes across the continent.
This was part of recommendations adopted at the end of the weeklong 31st meeting of Heads of National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies, Africa in Abuja on Friday.
This was disclosed by the Director of Media and Advocacy, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency headquarters, Abuja, Femi Babafemi, on Saturday.
The heads of the anti-narcotics bodies urged their respective governments to consider the establishment of national specialised courts and asset recovery offices dealing with organised crime and money laundering and supporting tracing, recovering, and management of proceeds of crime.
Babafemi added, “
“Governments are encouraged to make effective and full use of existing informal regional and international cooperation instruments aiming at facilitating investigations and prosecuting organised crime including drug crimes and related money-laundering, including West African Network of Central Authorities and Prosecutors, Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network for Southern Africa, Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network of West Africa as well as the UNODC CRIMJUST programme,” the statement partly read.
The body also urged governments in African countries to promote cooperation and share best practices in the confiscation of proceeds of crime, including drug-related cases.
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