GREATER COLLABORATION TO FIGHT DRUG TRAFFICKING ADVOCATED

Major Abdul Braimah, Deputy Executive Secretary of the Narcotic Control
Board on Monday called for effective collaboration between the Drug Law
enforcement agencies and postal institutions in the fight against drug
trafficking and money laundering in the country. He said there was the need
to reduce suspicion and antagonism between the various institutions.

They should rather forge a common front in dealing with the drug menace.
"It is time to hit the drug industry and hit the operators so hard to send
a strong message to them that our society and institutions cannot be used
to facilitate drug trafficking and money laundering," Mr. Braimah said at
the opening of a five-day workshop on drug trafficking and money laundering.

The Universal Postal Union (UPU) and the United Nations office on Drugs and
Crime (UNODC) are organizing the workshop to discuss and find ways to
counter drug trafficking and money laundering through the postal system.

Major Braimah said the postal system had been one of the mainstream
networks used by drug traffickers to communicate with their counterparts,
import or export drugs and to launder money.

"Drug trafficking and money laundering transcends borders and without the
postal system it would be difficult for drugs to reach areas where they are
not produced or cultivated."

The Major said the drug trafficking industry depended on the availability
of huge amount of cash flow to buy drugs, bribe security and government
officials at various stages and said it was a bedfellow of money laundering
since both complements each other.

Positive measures are, therefore, needed to expand the frontiers to fight
against illicit drug trafficking and money laundering in the West African
sub-region.

Mr. Samuel Asare, Deputy Managing Director, Ghana Post, said current trends
and developments in financial information, technology and communication
allowed money to move across international frontiers with speed and ease.

"The consequences of drug trafficking and money laundering are bad for
business, development, the rule of law and a serious social menace."

He admitted that the postal system had become a conduit for drug
trafficking and money laundering was a good avenue for fraudsters who made
fortunes out of such nefarious transactions.

Mr. Asare also suggested the establishment of regional postal security
network among postal administration to enhance the security and the
reliability of the postal system.

He said Ghana Post would link up with local and international agencies like
the customs immigration service, the police and Interpol to detect and seal
all loopholes and also bust the fraudsters.