KENYA NAMED IN U.N. DRUGS REPORT

Nairobi

Cannabis sativa (bhang) remains the most widely grown, trafficked and
abused drug in Kenya and other African countries.

According to the 2003 United Nations Annual Report of the
International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), the drug accounts for
approximately one quarter of global cannabis seizures in recent years.

The report says the bulk of the cannabis seizures have been reported
in South Africa, Kenya, Egypt, Ghana, Malawi, Morocco, Nigeria and
Tanzania.

The United Nations Secretary-General, Mr Koffi Annan, is warning that
economic opportunities provided by drug trafficking could lead to
rivalry among drug gangs as they compete for a share of the market.

He says the rivalries often spill over into violence that harms local
communities.

He cautions that violence and drugs have a disproportionate impact on
the freedom of women, children and the elderly, especially in
dysfunctional communities.

Annan proposes that a multi-disciplinary approach should be pursued to
stem violence and other crimes associated with drugs. To increase the
rational use of narcotic drugs in developing countries, the board is
encouraging manufacturing countries in co-operation with WHO, to
provide assistance for the training of health personnel.

The report praises Tanzania, which last year ratified the EAC protocol
on combating drug trafficking in East Africa. The protocol is aimed at
promoting co-operation in criminal and intelligence matters among the
drug control units of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

The Tanzanian Parliament also adopted a revised drug control
legislation transforming the Pharmacy Board into the autonomous
Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority, thereby ensuring better continuity
in the technical work of the regulatory authorities.

In Uganda, new drug control legislation aimed at harmonising national
laws with the provisions of the three international drug control
treaties was to be presented to Parliament before the end of 2003.

The report says the government of Ethiopia has also introduced draft
legislation against money laundering and a Bill updating the Penal
Code in Parliament, adding that the updated Bill would significantly
increase the maximum sentence for drug trafficking. The board has also
published technical reports on narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances
and precursors.

The report says information gathered from conflict-stricken countries
such as Cote d'Ivore, Liberia and Central African Republic shows that
arms and ammunition used by rebel groups and criminal organisations
may have been partially procured with proceeds of illicit drug
trafficking.

It is also noted that different national laws and regulations make it
difficult to consistently identify and investigate illicit use of the
Internet that is now being used by drug traffickers to conduct their
trade.

"The sheer volume of letters and parcels shipped on a daily basis
makes it extremely difficult for law enforcement agencies to detect
illicit shipments and identify sources of illicit supply," says the
report.

It also draws attention to an increase in trafficking in medication,
containing narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances, over the Internet.

"More and more people buy controlled substances over the Internet. In
some recently seized Internet pharmacies in the United States, nearly
90 per cent of the orders were for internationally controlled
substances, including hydrocodone, diazepam and alprazolam," says the
report that was launched yesterday in Nairobi.

It says the problem is not limited to North America as significant
quantities of internationally-controlled drugs have also been seized
in India and Thailand. Pakistan has been identified as one country of
origin of such illegal shipments ordered via Internet pharmacies.

In Europe, Swiss authorities have noted a significant increase in
illegal mail order shipments of medications containing psychotropic
substances ordered through the Internet.

Internet pharmacies cater for three vulnerable groups of customers,
that is poly-drug abuses, former patients who have become addicts and
customers who place such orders because they are easy, can be done
from home and do not involve doctors' visits.

The report warns that without medical advice and examination, this
last group of customers may easily become addicted to such medication.

"As Internet pharmacies need to obtain the substances they sell from
legal suppliers, the board also calls on national authorities to be on
the alert for large orders for controlled substances placed by
companies that the wholesalers have not previously verified as
reliable customers," says the report.