The Scourge of Drug Trafficking in Guinea-Bissau

By African Bulletin on June 2, 2011

Guinea-Bissau is sadly considered as the first African narco-state commonly used as a transit territory for cocaine, coming from South America.  As a consequence and since the civil war that has shaken the country, between 1998 and 1999, the State did not make much difference in the amount of drug smuggled, and the political rivalries are increasing within the government.

 Having infiltrated all the spheres of the society, drug traffickers are today able to “use wisely and at their will” Guinea-Bissau.  They proceed with impunity: they usually cast off drugs on the country’s coastline, and particularly those of neighbouring islands, and sometimes, they organize landings on unprepared runways across the territory.                     The merchandise is then recovered and sent to Europe Market. Thus, between 2005 and 2009, 46 tons of cocaine has passed through Guinea Bissau, representing 2 billion U.S dollars.      All this traffic would not be concluded without an underpaid police and nonexistent judicial system. And even if these two enforcement organisations manage to intercept the drug traffickers, the military will get involved. In 2006, for example, 674 kilos of cocaine under police custody, estimated to 40 million U.S. dollars, have disappeared, after an army group intervention in the police station. It was said that the cocaine   would have been destroyed later on. However and according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), no significant seizure has been made in recent years. This period corresponds to the mandate of Lucinda Barbosa, former director of the police and a fierce fighting drug trafficking, who recently resigned because of security and safety considerations, she said. However, Prime Minister of Guinea-Bissau has stated that Barbosa’s departure is just due to the end of her mandate; and once more, these conflicting declarations are tempting to confirm the lethal disputes among the state – police, army and Justice, and the party political families from one side, and from the other side, the structural relationship and dynamics between drug traffickers and the political power within Guinea Bissau.