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Nigerian Drug Cartel Major Supplier Of Methamphetamine In South Africa – UNODC

Published

3 years ago

Jan 3, 2022.

It said revealed that the cartel had been operating in Nigeria since late 2019

EKO HOT BLOG reports that the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has said a Nigerian drug syndicate is supplying a potent central nervous system stimulant, methamphetamine, locally known as ‘Mpuru Mmiri’, to South Africa.

This was disclosed in the UNODC World Drug Report 2021, an in-depth analysis of the global drug markets that paints a comprehensive picture of the measurable effects and potential impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the world drug problem.

According to the report, the traffickers have set up two major transnational supply routes from Nigeria and Afghanistan through which the deadly narcotic is trafficked to Western Cape Province, South Africa.

It said revealed that the cartel had been operating in Nigeria since late 2019.

Many youths in the South-East were said to be addicted to Mpuru Mmiri, which is widely sold in many urban areas in the region.

Experts said many Mpuru Mmiri abusers could be identified by their tattered dressing and shabby looks, and they suffer a loss of appetite and weight loss; strange sleeping patterns; angry outbursts or mood swings, and exhibit psychotic behaviour such as paranoia and hallucination.

The UN report said, “There are also some indications that since late 2019, some of the methamphetamine found in South Africa is also being smuggled from Afghanistan via Pakistan and countries of East and Southern Africa to South Africa, particularly the Western Cape Province.

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