See also   Speech - Opening speech by Jean-Michel Louboutin, Executive Director, Police Services

INTERPOL's Executive Director for Police Services Jean-Michel Louboutin gives his opening address

Inspector General of Police of Tanzania Saidi Ally Mwema formally opened the meeting

The meeting opened with the playing of the INTERPOL and Tanzanian national anthems

ARUSHA, Tanzania – The 8th INTERPOL meeting of Heads of African National Drugs Services opened today with calls for greater co-operation to combat an increasing amount of drugs being trafficked through the region.

During the past three months alone, cocaine seizures totalling nearly 7,000 kilos have been reported to INTERPOL by police forces across West Africa.

'Western Africa has become a favoured transit point for cocaine traffickers moving the drugs from Latin America to Europe,' said Jean-Michel Louboutin, INTERPOL’s Executive Director of Police Services.

'While police throughout Africa are responding to this increased pressure on their services, INTERPOL and all its National Central Bureaus in each of our 186 member countries must help them in combating this menace.

'One innovative way that INTERPOL has already provided support is through the deployment of Incident Response Teams to offer on-site assistance following major seizures such as the ones recorded recently in Guinea Bissau and Mauritania. Our secure global police communications system, I-24/7 also enables investigators to instantly share information and check our range of databases at the touch of a button.

'This meeting will give both police and international organizations a fresh impetus to identify ways of supporting the African region in the fight against all types of drugs trafficking and identifying those involved.'

INTERPOL has launched a series of projects which bring together drugs officers from African and European countries, along with United States officials and representatives of international organizations such as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to address all forms of drugs trafficking throughout the African region.

Although cocaine has become a priority for West Africa, the problem of heroin smuggling through East Africa and the trafficking of synthetic drugs in Southern Africa will also be addressed in the meeting. The production, consumption and exportation of cannabis throughout the whole continent also remains a priority.

Opening the conference, Saidi Ally Mwema, Inspector General of Police of Tanzania said the challenges faced by police in the region were many and complex.

'Long and porous borders of most African countries coupled with the problem of meagre resources make it almost impracticable to do effective law enforcement in all potential entry and exit points,' he said.

'These challenges require an international approach. The war against the drug trade and acbuse needs greater international co-operation through exchange of information, collaboration and co-ordination of our joint operations.'

Nearly 100 delegates from 27 African countries, six non-African countries and representatives from three international organizations are taking part in the two-day meeting.

Nearly 100 delegates are attending the 8th meeting of Heads of African National Drugs Services in Arusha, Tanzania

Traditional dancers from the Maasai tribe performed songs to greet the delegates