Uganda police destroys 37.1 kg of illicit drugs

KAMPALA - The Ugandan police on Tuesday destroyed 37.1 kg of narcotic drugs worth 15 billion shillings ($6 million) in the capital Kampala.

The drugs which included 25kg of heroin, 10.6 kg of cocaine and 1.5 kg of methamphetamine which have been confiscated since 2009 were set on fire at Nsambya Police Clinic.

The drugs were impounded from various border entry points and several suspected drug dealers in the country.

The destruction ceremony was presided over by Hilary Onek, Uganda's minister of internal affairs, flanked by senior police officers and US embassy officials here.

Edward Ochom, the Director of Criminal Investigations Department called for stringent laws against drug trafficking.

The country's parliament is yet to pass the Narcotic and Psychotropic Substance Control Bill, which advocates for maximum sentence of life imprisonment for those dealing and consuming illicit drugs.

Onek said he will ensure that the bill, which has been before parliament for the last nine years is passed into law to end the heinous crime.

"We need to have a law which is deterrent to this heinous crime. I am going to ensure that the bill is debated and passed by parliament," he said.

This is the second time the Ugandan police is destroying such a big stock of illicit drugs. The first one was done in 2008 where 20.8 kg of heroine and 7 kg of cocaine were burnt.

Heads of antinarcotics units in East Africa in June this year called for joint efforts to combat the increasing drug trafficking in the region.

They warned that the region is increasingly becoming a drug trafficking transit point for organized international drug cartels in South America, West Africa, Europe and Far Eastern countries.