2007年VOA标准英语-Cocaine Seizures in West Africa Expose Security

By Phuong Tran
Dakar
27 August 2007

cocaine1 goes up in smoke at an incinerator in Nairobi <br>(File Photo - 31 Mar2 2006)" hspace="2" src="/upimg/allimg/070901/0922080.jpg" width="210" vspace="2" border="0" />

Kenyan police officer stands guard as 1.1 tonnes of cocaine goes up in smoke at an incinerator in Nairobi (File Photo - 31 Mar 2006)

Recent cocaine seizures⁴ in West Africa are forcing officials to find new ways to fight back against smugglers. Hundreds of kilograms have been discovered recently in Mauritania, Benin and, this past Saturday, in Senegal. Phuong Tran has more from our West Africa bureau in Dakar.

Commander Daouda Diop, a spokesman for Senegal's national police, says two men from Guinea Bissau, who were traveling to Portugal, were caught and arrested in Senegal with 11 kilograms of cocaine hidden in their luggage.

The commander says Senegal must improve its surveillance in order to react more quickly. Diop says it is hard to catch traffickers because they often belong to a network that helps them escape.

Antonio Mazzitelli with the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime says traffickers are learning how to outsmart growing surveillance in West Africa, which is increasingly being used as a transit⁵ point for drugs moving from Latin America to Europe.

Mazzitelli says one way drugs get into Africa is through what are called mules⁶, smugglers who swallow drug capsules in order to sneak⁷ past airport authorities.

"On one plane, there may be thirty to forty human mules. Out of this 30, 40, law enforcement authorities may be able to pick up one, maybe, two," he said. "The other 28 pass through. They do it [on] purpose. They put two knowing that those two will be the most likely to attract the attention of law enforcement officers."

Mazzitelli says Saturday's seizure³ in Senegal shows that smugglers are attracted to West Africa because of the poor airport security.

"Human mules are starting to not only ingest drugs, but many are moving much bigger quantities within their luggage," added Mazzitelli. "So if on the plane there are three [who] have ingested 900 grams each, there are maybe another four or five [who] have hidden in their suitcases five, seven, ten kilograms."

In June, Senegalese authorities found more than two tons of cocaine stockpiled in two houses outside the capital, Dakar. The seizures were Senegal's largest thus far, and are among the largest in West Africa.

Other recent seizures in West Africa include more than 800 kilograms of cocaine in a van in Mauritania earlier this month, and more than 300 kilos in Benin. Both were the largest seizures in those countries to date.

According to U.N. drug officials, cocaine seizures in West Africa increased seven times between 2005 and 2006, from two tons to 14 tons.

1 cocaine   

n.可卡因，古柯碱（用作局部麻醉剂）

参考例句：

• That young man is a cocaine addict.那个年轻人吸食可卡因成瘾。
• Don't have cocaine abusively.不可滥服古柯碱。

2 mar   

vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟

参考例句：

• It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
• Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。

3 seizure   

n.没收；占有；抵押

参考例句：

• The seizure of contraband is made by customs.那些走私品是被海关没收的。
• The courts ordered the seizure of all her property.法院下令查封她所有的财产。

4 seizures   

n.起获( seizure的名词复数 )；没收；充公；起获的赃物

参考例句：

• Seizures of illicit drugs have increased by 30% this year. 今年违禁药品的扣押增长了30%。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Other causes of unconsciousness predisposing to aspiration lung abscess are convulsive seizures. 造成吸入性肺脓肿昏迷的其他原因，有惊厥发作。 来自辞典例句

5 transit   

n.经过，运输；vt.穿越，旋转；vi.越过

参考例句：

• His luggage was lost in transit.他的行李在运送中丢失。
• The canal can transit a total of 50 ships daily.这条运河每天能通过50条船。

6 mules   

骡( mule的名词复数 )； 拖鞋； 顽固的人； 越境运毒者

参考例句：

• The cart was pulled by two mules. 两匹骡子拉这辆大车。
• She wore tight trousers and high-heeled mules. 她穿紧身裤和拖鞋式高跟鞋。

7 sneak   

vt.潜行(隐藏,填石缝)；偷偷摸摸做；n.潜行；adj.暗中进行

参考例句：

• He raised his spear and sneak forward.他提起长矛悄悄地前进。
• I saw him sneak away from us.我看见他悄悄地从我们身边走开。