Four other African countries join SA to combat drug trafficking

Angola and Uganda have become the latest countries to join South Africa, Mozambique and Tanzania in a regional initiative to combat drug trafficking and organised crime. The four nations discussed strengthening intelligence sharing and coordinating cross-border operations during a three-day meeting in Pretoria.

Speaking at the meeting, Acting South African Police Minister Firoz Cachalia highlighted that criminal networks operate across borders, making close cooperation between law enforcement agencies crucial for disrupting their activities and bringing suspects to justice.

The expansion of the Trilateral Planning Cell (TPC) reflects a shared commitment among the participating countries to prevent and combat organised crime, disrupt criminal networks and ensure that perpetrators are held accountable. The TPC mechanism, established in 2019, has already achieved significant successes in the region, such as the discovery of clandestine drug laboratories and the seizure of illicit drug consignments.