Africa-Press – Mauritius. A workshop with focus on Countering Drug Trafficking is being hosted, today, at the University of Mauritius (UoM), in Réduit, as part of activities to mark the 2022 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
The Day is observed on 26 June each year and the theme retained is Addressing Drug Challenges in Health and Humanitarian Crisis. The Acting Vice-Chancellor of the UoM, Professor S.
K. Sobhee, the Director General of the Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA), Mr Sudhamo Lal, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Anti-Drug and Smuggling Unit (ADSU), Mr C.
Bhojoo, and the Director of the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), Mrs Madhub-Dassyne, were present. The event is an initiative of the Prime Minister’s Office in collaboration with the UoM, the FSL, the Mauritius Police Force (MPF) and the MRA.
The findings of a research carried by the UoM on Drug Use among Young Adults in Mauritius and Rodrigues: Measuring the socio-economic cost were presented during the event.
In his address, Professor Sobhee underlined that drug is a nuisance having severe and serious costs impacting on societies and families. The UoM, he underscored, is providing necessary education to the youth to encourage them to combat this nuisance as well as to abstain from drug consumption.
He spoke of the contribution of the UoM in terms of carrying out researches and surveys for the economic welfare of the country by giving insights to facts and figures to assist enforcement bodies in their tasks of protecting the society from the illicit scourge which is devastating the society and the country.
He called on the youth, the civil society and the population to join hands to combat this lethal nuisance. For his part, Director General Lal pointed out that one of the key roles of the MRA is to protect the society against the entry of illegal drugs at the borders.
The fight against drugs, he emphasised, is a longstanding and never ending one and the MRA is innovating and using latest technologies to track drugs. These include: latest detection equipment including X-ray scanners, Fast Interceptor Boat, drones, and full body scanners.
The MRA has, during the past five years, detected drugs amounting to some Rs 5 billion and, in a bid to enhance its services, has put in place a hotline, the Stop Drug Platform initiative and a mobile application, he added.
The Director General stressed on the need for a planned and coherent approach and called for a concerted effort of stakeholders to counter drug trafficking and to promote a safer and healthier society.
DCP Bhojoo said that the international day is observed to provide a befitting reminder to the citizens to maintain a society free from drug. The MPF will leave no stone unturned to curtail this scourge, he reassured.
Drugs, he remarked, affect all spheres of society irrespective of countries and class, particularly the youth. He pointed out that the MPF is at the forefront in the fight against drugs and dwelt on the different functions of the MPF in countering drugs trafficking.
He also spoke about the ADSU Education Cell, which has as prime objective to raising awareness on the devastating effects of drugs on families and society.
Moreover, he said that Government is doing its best to provide the Police Force with specialised equipment and create the most conducive environment for Police Officers to deliver consistently in law enforcement.
As for the Director of the FSL, Mrs Madhub-Dassyne, she stated that according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime World Drug Report 2019, half a million of persons have died due to the drugs scourge.
The intake of drugs is expected to rise by 11% across the globe and 40% in African continent, she highlighted. This scourge, she underlined, is holding back social and economic progress.
The international day thus aims to spread awareness on the physical and psychological substance abuse, damages and consequences of drug trafficking as well as other drugs related problems, she said.
Mrs Madhub-Dassyne further observed that the illicit drug market is constantly changing and is moving from traditional drugs such as heroine, cannabis and cocaine to new psychoactive substances such as synthetic drugs.
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