Pubdate: Thu, 19 Jun 2003 Source: New Vision (Uganda) Copyright: 2003 New Vision Contact: http://www.newvision.co.ug/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/522 Author: Steven Candia STRENGTHEN LAW ON DRUG TRAFFICKING, LEADERS SAY UGANDA was on Tuesday asked to strengthen her anti-narcotics laws to counter drug trafficking in the region. The call was among the resolutions contained in a joint communique issued at the end of a three-day conference on drug trafficking for security chiefs in the region, held at Hotel Africana. The director CID, Elizabeth Kuteesa, read out the communique. It said drug traffickers and cartels had taken advantage of Uganda's weak laws to turn the country into a major trafficking conduit. It said the anti-narcotics unit had bust a notorious drug-dealing cartel whose members were West Africans. The British High Commissioner to Uganda, Adam Wood, called for greater cooperation between member states in the fight against drug trafficking and pledged more funding and technical support to the region. Member states agreed to step up information exchange with international enforcement agencies, to effectively monitor sea cargo and to continue with regional training programmes. Kuteesa said the improved profiling and a recent crack down on drug traffickers leading to a number of arrests at the Entebbe International Airport, has caused the traffickers to change tactics. The conference was sponsored by the British government. - --- MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart