NDLEA, Australian police sign pact to combat transnational drug trafficking
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Australian Federal Police (AFP) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation against transnational drug trafficking networks operating along the Nigeria-Australia drug route.
Femi Babafemi, NDLEA spokesperson, said in a statement on Monday that Buba Marwa, the agency’s chairman, described the agreement as “a declaration of war against transnational drug cartels that think they can hide between continents.”
Marwa spoke at the signing ceremony held at the NDLEA headquarters in Abuja on Monday.
He said the AFP’s global reach and the NDLEA’s “operational doggedness” would make the Australia-Nigeria drug route “extremely hostile and unprofitable for traffickers.”
Under the agreement, the two agencies will cooperate in four key areas: intelligence and information sharing, joint and coordinated operations, capacity building and professional development, and controlled delivery.
Marwa said the agreement came at a time when drug trafficking had become increasingly transnational, organised and sophisticated.
He added that Nigerian organised crime groups are increasingly linked to the Australia-Pacific drug route, particularly for methamphetamine and cocaine.
The NDLEA chairman expressed hope that the agreement would lead to major joint drug seizures, arrest of high-value targets and successful controlled deliveries.
“Nigeria is being exploited as a transit and sourcing hub, but no single country can fight this alone,” Marwa said.
“Now, this MoU is renewable and is a declaration of war against transnational drug cartels that think they can hide between continents.
“With the AFP’s global reach and NDLEA’s operational doggedness, I am confident that we will make the Australia-Nigeria drug route extremely hostile and unprofitable for traffickers. And we look forward to immediate implementation.”
He cited recent operations that underscored the need for the partnership, which, according to him, include the seizure of 184.5 kilogrammes of cocaine intended for export and the dismantling of four methamphetamine laboratories in recent months, with Mexican nationals reportedly involved in the operations.
Marwa said one of the laboratory seizures was valued at more than $360 million.
He also cited the dismantling of a Switzerland-based cartel linked to a Nigerian, Simon Amadi, following more than a year of joint work with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the French, Greek and Swiss police.
He added that the agency had also targeted the cartel’s assets in Nigeria.
Sandra Booth, head of the AFP delegation, said tackling drug trafficking was a whole-of-society problem that required a whole-of-society solution.
Booth commended the NDLEA for addressing the problem from prevention to enforcement and praised its relationships with other countries, many of which also work with the AFP.
She said the partnership would serve as “a force multiplier” in the fight against “this abhorrent trade.”
She said that organised crime groups were increasingly using drug trafficking to finance other serious crimes through a “crime as a service” model, drawing young and vulnerable people into offences such as drug delivery, transportation and violent attacks on rivals.
Booth noted that drug trafficking was fuelling violence, gang wars and deaths in Australia beyond addiction, family breakdown and community instability.
She said Australia wanted to contribute to efforts to prevent drugs from reaching the country and protect its young people and other vulnerable groups.
“Whilst Nigeria is a transit country, we are a destination country. And unfortunately for us, people will pay a lot of money for the commodity,” she said.
“It is so absolutely necessary that we work together as a team, that we are forceful, that we are committed, that we show integrity, and we hunt as a pack. And I am very proud that we can now be part of your pack.”
