South Africa is in danger of becoming a major hub for drug trafficking, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said on Thursday.
West African syndicates had recently become major drug traffickers after Central American cartels began using them owing to difficulty with their traditional routes, the office's Jonathan Lucas said at the release of the International Narcotics Control Board's annual report.
"Increased surveillance on traditional routes had made them become unprofitable."
He said that if these new routes through West Africa were successfully dealt with by authorities, Central American cartels would again look for other alternatives.
"When they are diverted, will they come to South Africa? Maybe."
There was also a danger the 2010 World Cup would worsen drug trafficking.
During the tournament, law enforcement and customs officials would be under pressure owing to massive tourist inflows.
"We are aware that it is going to be a big problem for us," said Central Drug Authority deputy chairperson David Bayever.
He described trafficking cartels as "well-researched guys that know where the loopholes are".
Despite these threats, South Africa's drug problem remained primarily a domestic one, with alcohol and dagga use being well above global averages.
"Cannabis use was three times the global average in South Africa and its alcohol consumption put it in the top ten of countries."
Bayever said that drugs and substance abuse problems were the underlying causes of such ills as HIV/Aids, violence and crime.
"It is not the result of these problems, but the cause of them. In order to deal with these problems we need to handle substance abuse."
Most of South Africa's cannabis was grown in Lesotho, Swaziland and South Africa, said the office's national coordinator Johan Kruger. The region was actually a net exporter of cannabis to other countries.
Bayever said that an additional problem would be the extension of school holidays during the World Cup. In addition to being at risk for substance abuse, children may also be lured into prostitution.
"Our youth are going to be on holiday and they are going to be targeted to become prostitutes," said Bayever.
Edited by: Sapa
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